Goody bags for the homeless.

[Anomaly]

Thanks for casting the Inevitable Umbra of Gloom, Era.

[Era Might]

Thanks for casting the Inevitable Umbra of Gloom, Era.

Maybe you need to open a window, you interpret things as gloomy a lot.

Anyway, I found the name of the book I mentioned!

"Beyond Loneliness and Institutions: Communes for Extraordinary People" by Nils Christie:

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Loneliness-Institutions-Communes-Extraordinary/dp/1556355963

From the perspective of five Norwegian communal experiments, this book addresses how modern society deals with people who are mentally handicapped. The author examines life in the villages, primarily in Vidarasen, where he lived and worked for the last twenty years. Illustrating day to day living, work, cultural activities, and the organizational structure of these villages, the author provides a powerful contribution to the debate on the treatment of the mentally handicapped.

[Nihil Obstat]

May be "good economics" but bad human nature. I hate the word "unemployed" (as if a human being could be unemployed, with nothing to do). To be "unemployed" for an economist means not to be a "productive" member of the economy. A stay-at-home-mother in this instance is "unemployed"...though nobody thinks she has nothing to do, but as far as the economists are concerned, she's useless (literally useless, meaning not productive, not contributing to the economy). I don't think either homelessness or unemployment can ever be "natural"...what a monstrous thing, to be without a home and without something to do in life. What reason is there to be human or to live? "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has no place to lay his head." Even foxes and birds aren't homeless...they seem to be more human than we are.

No, stay at home mothers are not considered unemployed by economic metrics.

[Era Might]

No, stay at home mothers are not considered unemployed by economic metrics.

Well that's good to hear...or maybe it's not, insofar as it still assumes that being "employed" or "unemployed" is defined by economic metrics.

[Nihil Obstat]

Well that's good to hear...or maybe it's not, insofar as it still assumes that being "employed" or "unemployed" is defined by economic metrics.

No, it assumes that being employed or unemployed by economic metrics is defined by economic metrics. If you prefer other definitions I doubt there is an economist in the world whose feelings will be hurt.

[Era Might]

 

 

No, it assumes that being employed or unemployed by economic metrics is defined by economic metrics. If you prefer other definitions I doubt there is an economist in the world whose feelings will be hurt.

I don't have any particular use for any variant of the word employed...it's like "human resources" wherein a man becomes an resource in a system, reduced to whatever his job requires, which has nothing to do with what his mind or soul requires. If he is doing mindless drudgery, he is being "employed," economics doesn't deal with anything else but metrics, which only have meaning within the system being measured.

Edited October 15, 2015 by Era Might

[veritasluxmea]

I suspect there's more to politics that contributes to the issue of homelessness. When I volunteered for a few months with this one organization, I ended up meeting a fair number of homeless people out on the streets and gave them what I had, which was usually only water (I used to offer it to them and say it's not cold, but it's wet) and rosaries. And listen. It seemed like a lot of people had dependency issues that kept them on the streets. Not just to drugs- one lady I saw on a more regular basis was mentally impaired and dependent on this guy, and somehow it worked out that he kept her and himself on the streets. He seemed capable but he kept her out begging. Now I work in what my coworkers call the element, where we have homeless people constantly coming in and "causing trouble". I have stories... Anyways, I would want to make it possible for someone on an individual level to leave the cycle of poverty. Or make it easier, I should say. I think the main source of conflict is how, and I don't have the answer for that. I'm inclined to support dynamic, stable families, quality education for everyone, and a more "free market" way of doing things as the answer for a better society but I'm hesitant to put that out there because I don't know much about it. 

[Norseman82]

My preference is to give gift cards,but make sure it is to a place that does not serve/sell alcohol.  My favorites are Subway and Dunkin Donuts.

Another thing:  if your parish is part of a Manna program, buy the cards through them, as the parish or parish school gets a percentage of the sale, so you will be helping out two places with one contribution.

I also second the dental care packs (toothpaste/floss/toothbrushes) as well as directions to a Catholic homeless shelter.  Sometimes there are sales on gloves that will be useful in cold weather.

But you know the most challenging thing to do?  Try talking to some of them to find out their story.  One I've been talking to recently was kicked out by his foster parents (I guess the checks from the government stopped) and is trying to get his paperwork together so he can get an ID to help him get into a homeless shelter.  I'm going to ask a friend of mine who works for the Secretary of State what kinds of documentation could he used to secure one.

Great advices. +1 for the Saint Vincent de Paul  Don't hesitate to join your local Society of St Vincent de Paul, they're always looking for volunteers on the winter. 

For anyone in the Chicago area, some of us in the Catholic Motorcycle Ministry have some boxes set up at local motorcycle dealerships for donations of coats for the St. Vincent de Paul resource fair that is being held on Nov. 14.  I have one box at Yamaha of Chicago on West Randolph that will be there until Saturday early afternoon.

[Eowyn]

Our St Vincent DePaul conference stocks bags similar to what Dust is proposing at our parish.  We also have a small food pantry that is open during the week.  We have some bags that have cheese and or peanut butter crackers/ granola bars/ dried fruit/ and a juice box or milk box.  If the St Vincent DePaul organiziation has a presence in your area, you could include cards with their contact info on it.  We do a lot to help those in need in a practical way.  The SVDP also has systemic programs to help end poverty on a large scale.

[Norseman82]

Background music not the most wholesome, and they do need to learn group riding formation, but looks like a worthwhile ride I'd like to go on next time:

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[dUSt]

I would buy a homeless guy a beer or pack of cigarettes just as fast as I'd buy him a meal or some clothes.

1. Nobody should be denied beer.
2. Who am I to say what will make that guy's life more happy.

[Era Might]

I met a homeless guy in Texas. We saw each other at the library every day and eventually got to talking. He lived in a tent in the woods nearby. He told he was dying of cancer, maybe had 6 months to live. He would sneak a beer outside the library during the day. He pointed to them and his pack of cigarettes and said, everyone's got their vices, these are mine. He was some kind of stone mason, got frost bite on a job in Salt Lake City at a Mormon temple. He was in his 60s, dying of cancer, living in the woods, and looking for work. His name was Dave. He liked beer.

[CatherineM]

Saw this link about making these. http://blog.theveteranssite.com/homeless-care-package-tips/#pu29UEYffgc1QITu.01