Do You Work with the Homeless? Opinion Needed please.

[WoodrowFan]

Hello, I’d like the opinion of those DUers who have actually worked with the homeless. I work in a small museum in DC. In the past few weeks we’ve had a homeless man sleeping on our front steps at night and I need some advice how to deal with it.

Some details are necessary. The man appears to be in his 40s (hard to tell) and, well, he doesn’t seem quick “right.” He rambles a lot, seems to be not fully disorientated, but also not quite on the same mental plane as the rest of us. In other words I think he's mentally ill but he's not deranged. He doesn’t have warm enough clothes for the Winter, although he does have a blanket that appears to be one of those given out by volunteers and churches. Our doorway he sleeps in is NOT sheltered enough to be adequate shelter and a couple weekends ago, when we had snow, a docent found him suffering from hypothermia and called 911. He returned after a week and another docent called the police to have him removed from our property.

I’ve sat and talked with him a few times and have gently told him he needs to find somewhere else to go, that a museum doorway isn’t adequate shelter. I’ve offered him food but he has said he didn’t need it.

We really want him to move on. As I noted, our doorway is NOT sheltered enough from the wind and he appears to have been leaving trash around out front (this is DC, it could be someone else). To be blunt, he makes some of the employees and volunteers, especially the little old ladies, nervous (and in case you think it’s a racial thing, he’s white).

Here’s the question. He’s abandoned his blanket in our bushes (it hasn’t moved in days). I want to launder it so it’s clean and dry and I bought him a some winter gloves, a winter knit hat and some McDonalds coupons so he can get a few meals. My wife says that we’ll never get him to move on if I give them to him, but I think morally I HAVE to do something for him. I can’t just let him wander around hatless, cold and hungry. He may not return after the police were called before, but it’s hard to tell.

What do those of you who work with the homeless regularly think?

thanks

[La_Serpiente]

1. I remember that thread that you talked about the man

It was in this thread
Dial-Up Users, it will take a long time to load.

[rustydog]

2. I deal with the homeless in a security capacity..

This time of year I feel guilty when I have to tell them to move on, but one must do that sometimes.

A couple of observations...He has refused your attempts to help in any manner..recognize this and go to the next step, having him removed from the property.
second...he has placed his blanket in the nearby shrubs, it isn't abandoned,he is keeping it close to home, your doorway.
He has staked out the place and it is his.

In our town, the police will trespass individuals from properties they are not wanted. Usually, the business owner in the presence of the police advise the person they are not welcome and to keep off of the property from now on or they will be arrested for 2nd degree criminal trespassing.
Any time after this occurs and the person returns, all you have to do is call the police and they will come and arrest the subject for trespassing.
I wouldn't feel too guilty, he will be going to a heated jail instead of freezing doorways.

BIG question...is this a public museum? i.e. city-owned taxpayer supported? He can still be trespassed, but it may be more difficult.

[WoodrowFan]

4. well

Well, I thought that about his blanket as well, but it hasn't been moved all week. You cna tell it's not been touched.

All the DC police do is make him move off of our property, about 10 feet, then they leave.

It's private property, not public. No taxpayer dollars, not owned or supported by any government.

[papau]

3. Gave coats/Food etc - did not end until he froze to death - mentally

ill and not enough slots to care for them.

This was also in DC - you will find some fear shelter - but get food at the kitchens.

I went very unhappy - prayed a lot for guidance - when the DC I knew was transformed by Reagan into a lot of mentally ill homeless folk dying that I could not help.

I know of no solution. You will find St Eliz is closed as to Mental health except for the court cases.

Good luck.

[nn2004]

5. Get all the workers to chip in and rent him a room

For a few unneeded dollars you can give him a home and maybe others too. If he wants to work maybe you can help him find a job. If he doesn't deel like working then help him get a TV and cable and maybe a few computer games to pass the time.

[brook]

6. It's a dilemma.

While I don't work directly with the homeless, I work with another social program and have had similiar experiences with a couple of homeless people recently. In both cases, they would not go to the agencies that can help them, even after I had provided them with the money to go there. I had to tell them that they could not come around our place of business and disrupt things. I've found that there are a number of people who refuse to surrender whatever you want to call it - their independence, their ego, their comfort zone - and take the initiative to change their situation. There can be many reasons behind that, including drug and alcohol abuse, mental instability - even fear of another unknown or a bad experience with authority. It's difficult for me -emotionally. I want to make everything better - but in the past 3 years, I've had to recognize the limits and use my energies for those who are willing to be helped.

We need more social services, more psychiatric help, safer shelters...there's no doubt in my mind that we could do more to alleviate the situation.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

7. a good sleeping bag and heavy plactic ground cloth and warm socks

and he will move on...i collect sleeping bags,warm blankets, socks, gloves and hats all year and in the winter my kids and i make gallons of chicken soup and hundreds of sandwiches (the local deli donates soup containers, crackers and spoons) ....we make "midnight runs" to all the spots where the homeless people live and hand them out twice a month throughout the coldest months....

do what you can...he will move on...."

only by the grace of God there go I"

[TNOE]

11. Why does this not surprise me?

I always LOVE your posts and your passion - and I should not be surprised that you do such a wonderful thing. Thank you for being an inspiring human being and for the compassion you show - and are teaching your children to show.

[Hamlette]

8. I work with the poor, not necessarily "homeless"

although many of them are homeless. I work at the state welfare office. There are few, if any services for them but you could check your local welfare office and see if there is anything they can do. If there are benefits he may be too sick to participate to get them. He should be getting food stamps, he sounds eligible if he has the capacity to wind his way through the red tape to get them. A good social worker could help him. Every state has social workers some are good some are not...just like every job.

Do what makes you comfortable. That is all you can do. If you are more comfortable washing his blanket and giving him meal coupons then you should do it. I've heard the "never give them money" line but I can't follow that advice. Too hard for this bleeding heart.

[Kanary]

9. I appreciate your heart being in the right place

There is so little "heart" anymore.

It means a lot to me that you still care.

Sadly, the situation has been allowed to deteriorate for so many years now, that there is probably
little one individual can do.

I have the sad feeling it will come to a class war, and that is the only way any attention will be paid.

I just hope you can avoid having your heart harden. There are so few of you left.

Thanks....

Kanary

[TNOE]

10. Makes me glad that your heart is in the right place

so many do not care. My boyfriend bought an 8-family house to shelter the nearly homeless to give them a month to get clean and have an address to find a job. If they are caught doing drugs, etc., they're out or if they do not actively look for work. But so many very sad cases, some make it, some don't. The ones who smoke crack don't for sure.

I truly WISH I could think of the name of the book I read - I believe it was "Journey of Souls" which a hynotist transgressed people back through their past lives - and I was struck by the fact that one man "chose" to be a homeless person whom this person would have to pass by every day to teach him to be more generous and compassionate towards others.

They are human beings and deserve to be treated as such, even if they are mentally ill - which most are - there should be a system in place to help them. Since there is not - it is up to us. Regardless I am reminded of the quote "the least you do to one of these, you do to me". Do what you can with an open heart and I think the coat, gloves and hat, blankets are all good ideas - and so is the room - but that would be an ongoing expense. Have you checked with United Way or anyother agencies in the DC area?

Thanks for caring for those less fortunate than yourself.

[WoodrowFan]

12. kick for the lunch crowd (NT)