Good Evening;
Yet another link, this time to an article from Poverty Insights;
It has some thoughts and ideas to share on things to consider when you want to donate some old and/or unneeded items to shelters, agencies & organizations, or directly to the homeless.
A few of my own musings on the subject, from experience and observation, concerning direct gifts and donations are:
Food:
Perishables - Depending on the weather, if one has no source of refrigeration, there is only so much that can be carried and consumed before it becomes inedible.
Carrying and Storage Limits - There is only so much weight and volume one can carry, and not everyone has a safe, (from 2 and 4 legged pests and rodents), hideaway to keep any extra items.
Cooking Facilities - Sometimes the best it may be is the hot water from a bathroom faucet. In shelters that are more than a "Code Blue/Extreme Winter Weather" or "Code Red/Extreme Heat & Humidity" E.O.S. (Emergency Overnight Shelter.....where personal food items are not allowed inside...[must be discarded or eaten before entry]..), one may find a 'hot pot' water urn, microwave, or even in some cases a full kitchen.
Personal Taste - Just because someone is homeless does not mean that they still prefer some foods over others. IF!!! I am starving I'll not refuse anything and scavenge from trashcans if necessary,......
Uh Oh.....gotta pack up and run, (figuratively speaking), I've been sitting outside the Baskin Robbins it's 12:02 am. and the bus is leaving Owings Mills Metro station and will be here at 12:06 am.......see you shortly.
Okay I'm back....and before I finish the above thoughts I just want to comment on something that has me curious about what happened and why.......
I got off the bus at McHenry Ave. as usual and walked through the breezeway to the parking lot of the First Watch Cafe, again as usual. What was NOT as usual were the missing benches from in front of the restaurant! I was last there Friday night/Saturday morning....and so were the benches!?!?
As Jerry Seinfeld would say....."What's up with that!?"
So I am currently in front of the library......
.......and I have to finish this quickly because my battery just yelled at me....lol.
....but I'll skip a meal or 2 if all there are is beans!
So if someone refuses your offering, don't get insulted, angry or self righteous, (that last one is the reason I avoid Holiday charity 'Feasts'),
there could be actual reasons that he or she may have, (and don't forget food allergies).
Now there are plenty of homeless addicts and alcoholics out there who DO try to scam you only for money for their next fix, and you can pretty much tell in most cases who they are, but not everyone who says no thank you is an ungrateful
scheming bastard.
I gotta run,
Later..............................Dave
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