Homeless and Alone

 The last few years the economy has forced a lot of people to lose their jobs. They were all different stories from different financial levels. They were people with doctorate degrees, master degrees, and bachelor degrees. Some of them lived off their life savings till it ran out. They lived off the unemployment benefits till the government no longer allowed them too.

It's not the drug addicts, the mentally ill, the lower educated people that are homeless anymore. They worked hard their whole lives to keep their homes, vehicles, lifestyles, and to support their families. They have lost their homes to foreclosure because they can not get a job like they used to be able too. There are so many people looking for a job at once in  certain states in the United States, they some times don't have a chance of getting a job, no matter how educated they are. They don't choose to live on food stamps and welfare.

They rather be working and being more productive with their lives. Some of them have families to help them, and others don't. How does a homeless person survive, or someone on the verge of becoming homeless when there aren't enough jobs?

They have to first find a vehicle to get around, or ask someone to get to them the State Agency where they fill out paper work to see if they qualify for food, and medical, or financial assistance depending on the size of their family. They can only get in Section 8 housing if they are completely homeless and already been in a homeless shelter. They have to be on a waiting list till housing is available which there isn't enough housing available in some communities. They are allowed to stay at the homeless shelter for certain periods of time. They can be there at night to sleep, and in the morning they have to leave, and come back again at night. They wonder around the streets during the day looking for some where to go. They hang out in stores to keep warm in the winter, or a friends if they have one.

They have help finding a job from the homeless shelter and they will give them a ride in some areas to begin with. They have various non-profit organizations that collaborate to help people in different circumstances.

Not every community is as generous as another. They are often discriminated because of their lower economic status by their family and friends. Thinking they are not motivated to work, or want to work. They are looking, it's just not available at the moment to get a job because of the competition. 

When you walk into an unemployment line you start noticing how big the problem is, or any non-profit organization.  Non-profit organizations and homeless shelters run on donations and grants from people and the state. They are running out of money trying to help so many people. These people don't know where to turn to for help for all their needs.

It's really a rat race, in our local community there is a food truck that comes once or twice a month at our church. It's sad to see the long line of people trying to get food to eat. They are all different people with different stories. Some are mentally ill, some are drug addicts, some are very well educated, some are over educated, but they are all in the same situation.

Some have children, some are elderly, some are middle age, and some are young adults, struggling to find a home, food, clothing, and a vehicle to get a job. They walk, ride their bikes, search for someone to get them to the non-profits, and job training sites. They don't have gas money when they do have a car if they are on the verge of homelessness, because they may only get a certain amount of child support.  They pay what bills they can electric, heat, utilities, rent, and what they can't pay in those categories they go to the non-profits that will pay their electric or heat in the winter to keep warm.  They usually are helped once or twice and than they have used up what they are qualified for.

When it comes to keeping there hygiene up they are forced to go find a pantry that provides toothbrushes, toilet paper, tooth paste, shampoo, soap, laundry soap, deodorant, paper towel, and cleaning supplies to clean their home. They don't have the extra money for these things when they don't have a job, and they have to worry about rent more than having that toothpaste or shampoo.

It is a lot of work for a homeless person, or one that is on the verge of homelessness balancing the resources, and finding the ones that they can to help themselves out the circumstances.

They don't always know where to go for help. As I volunteered at Good Samaritan Ministries in Holland I learned about different families and how they struggle. We gave them an assessment to figure out their situation, determined what they were qualified for, and looked how we could help them find the right resources.  Even Good Sam is run by donations and grants. They only exist because of donors that choose the help out the cause. Without them they would not exist.

They help people find a home to live in and keep them off the streets if they can. They provide case workers to help you learn to budget, a car-link program to help someone get a free car after they have been through financial counseling and can prove they can handle the situation.

They have a directory of food pantries in the community. The pantries are ran by donations and usually consist of food in most of them. Occasionally you will find a pantry that provides cleaning supplies, and hygiene products.

They also have a computer database of every client and how many times they have come, and what agencies they have been to, as well as churches that have helped them so people don't have the ability to take advantage of the system.

They have the assessments to screen clients for churches and evaluate if the church should  help the family out. Some people do try to take advantage of the system, but in our community, usually you have to prove that you are in need of assistance by showing documentation from the state. They will photo copy your information with your driver's license and take the precautions needed to make sure the right people are getting the help they need.

Any one can make up a story, but when you are a non-profit agency your funds are limited and are accountable for where that money goes. If people really are sincere and genuine about getting there lives back together they will take the steps they need to and follow the program and work with a case worker.

Homelessness is becoming a big problem in our communities when every chair can be filled with a person that has lost a job, and not able to find one.

Although it is there responsibility to make the right choices for their lives, they are trying to, they are going to job training, or try to educate themselves to get the credentials. It is amazing the last two  years even at my local college the enrollment has gone up where you can't find a parking space because so many are jobless trying to get the education to qualify the jobs available. 

Michigan is an Iron belt state, and built on manufacturing. Most of the manufacturing jobs, have left the state for cheaper labor and parts. Usually to Canada, Mexico, or some other country that business owners can make a profit. Other companies are going out of business that are privately owned.  Even the major companies that have been big names in the industry are struggling and end up laying off more people because of budgeting.

Human service workers in the state and counties are losing their jobs trying to support the individuals on welfare, because of the budget cuts, funds, and grants. It's a vicious circle affecting every level and every job in the community.

It's not just in the state of Michigan. It's in every state of the United States Of America. It makes me wonder what the government is really doing when you drive down millions of streets with houses that are vacant, or foreclosed because people could not find a job and support themselves. 

It makes you wonder if the Government keeps us dependent on them. They really need to create more jobs for people and provide the training. If you are older you have to start all over when you have worked at a factory all your life for 25 years.

You don't know how to use technology, you don't know how to use a computer, and apply for jobs online. Everything is different for the baby boomers looking for a job than what it was when they were younger. They don't understand the cover letters, the resumes, the process of finding a job, or how long it takes.

Their skills are far behind, while the new generations are being pumped with all this knowledge in high school, at the same level as a college student. I have noticed this while I have been going to college. My son and me will be learning the same stuff.  When I was in high school I was not forced to learn so much. Yet I understand they have to learn it because they won't make it without the education or training.

You can help various non-profit agencies by donating gas cards for those who need it to find jobs, get job training, and get to the non-profit agencies for assistance. You can donate diapers to food pantries and baby products like baby shampoo, powder, diaper rash ointment, lotion, and oil. You can donate baby clothes, baby blankets, baby basic items to local non profits that provide clothing to families.  You can provide shampoo, soap. paper towels, cleaning supplies, mops, brooms, vacuums, sponges, and various cleaning materials as well.

If you are a auto repair personnel volunteer your services to fix cars for a low price for those who can't pay.  What happens when your tire goes flat and you don't have the money? Or a car part breaks.

If you have car you want to get rid of donate it to a place like Good Samaritan Ministries, they will give it to a family in need. They also sell them at homeless shelters like the Rescue Mission in Holland Michigan to help the shelter and clients.

You can donate your materialistic and things you don't use to rescue mission stores to sell to make money for the shelters and other area non-profit agencies.

You can knit sweaters, hats, and mittens for families in the winter that don't have the money to buy them. Last December we had on the news in Grand Rapids a segment on the programs that people donated sleeping bags, winter coats, mittens, and hats for the homeless populations that sleep outside through the winter.

People just need a chance to get  on their feet, and know some one cares, and believes in them that they can make it out of the situation they are in. Please go to your local community organizations an lend a hand in poverty. 

When you do you will know like I  have seen myself when I have helped someone, they will cry and be filled with tears because someone listened and helped them out. They are happy and thrilled someone took the time to hear them out, and gave them a chance even if it is a food item, or Christmas present, or piece of clothing you don't use.

It's not necessarily about money, but how many things lay around our houses that we never use but someone else can use and needs to survive.

Love Inc. in our community even has a laundry hub for those that qualify. They have to set up an appointment to wash their clothes and provide a slip they have been to the agency. People don't always get to wash their bedding, or clothes. They just don't have the money, and they don't like not having money. They are doing what they can in the moment.

If it wasn't for those who donated the washer's and driers those in our community living in poverty would find it a lot harder just to have clean clothes.

You can help out by giving support by volunteering at agencies as well being a mentor and supporter to families to get on their feet.

There are many ways you can help out in the community please do so whether you have money or not. Just by being some one's friend, or teaching them to read, can make all the difference.