How to Help the Homeless

A homeless person doesn’t have an address.  This man or woman does not receive junk mail.  This person doesn’t receive political campaign fliers about how to vote.  This person may not have a cell phone so this person cannot leave a number for someone to call them back.  A homeless person cannot put their address and phone number on a resume or job application when applying for a job.  With no place to contact this person, no one is going to call them back for an interview, much less to hire that person.

A homeless person without an ID can’t apply for assistance from a government office.  A homeless person without a TB Test card can’t sleep at a shelter.  Without these basic documents, a homeless person is restricted from many civil services that you and I who do not need these services at the moment take for granted.

Agencies that aid homeless and impoverished people in our communities want to help people, but they also deserve to be protected.  This is part of the reason ids are required before services can be offered.  Some homeless people are just looking for handouts and do not want to live within the same legal structure as others, but that doesn’t mean all homeless people are “on the take.”  Agencies are just there, they are built and supported by people like you and me who want to help people, and there are plenty of people out there who need help.  It’s just that not all of them have ids.

If you want to help a homeless person, or if you are asked for help by someone who is homeless, find out if they have an id.  If not, suggesting how they can get an id may be a way you can help them more than a small hand-out will. 

DO YOUR HOMEWORK:  Find out where the closest motor vehicles department (DMV/MVD) is located and learn how to give directions to it.  They won’t be applying for a driver’s license, but they can apply for a state-accepted photo identification card taht will provide them access to government-provided services.  By pointing someone in this direction you may be helping them gain some much-needed status in our society. 

FREE ADVICE IS JUST THAT:  Getting a government id means you put your name “in the system.”  Not every person who is homeless wants to be found or tracked.  Offering advice on how to get an id is just an offer.  Each individual has the right to their own opinion.  You may get an ear-full for even suggesting it.  Ask first if a person has an id.  If they say no, ask if they’ve ever needed one while they were on the streets.  Most homeless are way more knowledgeable about these things than you or I, mainly out of necessity.  Don’t be offended if they aren’t interested.  Don’t talk to strange people if you are uncomfortable.  And finally, don’t forget that homeless people are not so different than you or I.  In fact, I often wonder how much more I owe in credit and loans than the average homeless person.  Whose laughing then!