How To Help The Homeless

How to help the homeless this winter

The problem posed by homelessness is considerable. The National Alliance to End Homelessness says that, on any given night in the United States, more than half a million people are experiencing homelessness. And the problem is not exclusive to the U.S., as the Homelessness Partnering Secretariat (HPS) estimates that between 150,000 and 300,000 individuals experience homelessness in Canada each year.

Many homeless people are single adults who have nowhere else to turn. Veterans make up approximately 9 percent of all homeless singletons.

While homelessness is challenging at any time of the year, winter is especially brutal for homeless individuals. Those who have no indoor places to sleep (shelters fill up quickly in the cold or are avoided for other reasons) typically must confront harsh winter weather, which can increase their risk for hypothermia. Art from the Streets, a nonprofit organization that strives to help the homeless, says winter weather can prove fatal for homeless communities, which is perhaps one reason why the average age of death for a homeless person is 47.

People who have the comfort of warm clothing and shelter may not realize the plight of the homeless this time of year. But with some generosity and volunteerism, anyone can help the homeless community this winter.

• Alert professionals. Many different charities help place homeless people in temporary shelters or get them a warm bed or meal. Do a quick search of homeless organizations in your area and give a call to find out if they can assist someone you may have spotted on the street. • Donate coats, scarves and gloves. In 2017, residents of Bristol, England, tied scarves to the city’s lampposts for homeless to use. Similar concepts can be implemented in towns and cities across the globe. In addition, look for organizations that collect warm clothing for the homeless and the needy.

• Volunteer with a soup kitchen. Soup kitchens routinely provide hot meals for homeless visitors, and such facilities are often in need of volunteers.

• Partner up with an organization. The Blessing Bag Brigade is a New Jersey-based nonprofit that is dedicated to providing various items of comfort to homeless individuals. The organization routinely collects toiletries, snack foods, socks, razors, and breakfast bars and packages them up in bags to deliver to the homeless. Learn more at www.blessingbagbrigadenj.org.

• Provide hot meals or beverages to a homeless individual. Many times someone who is homeless may benefit significantly from a small token of compassion. If you do not want to give cash to panhandlers, then instead buy a hot sandwich and deliver it to someone who is homeless.

Helping homeless individuals and organizations that aim to help the homeless takes on urgency when the winter arrives. It may not require much to provide comfort and safety to someone in need.

Buddy up for safety

The buddy system is a popular and effective safety measure. The “buddy system” involves teaming up with a partner to prevent the safety risks of being alone. Both parties are then responsible for ensuring the other person’s safety.

The buddy system is effective in various situations. For example, someone who works in a remote location or with hazardous substances can benefit from having a teammate nearby in the event something goes awry. That buddy can then call for help or even administer help on his or her own. Office fire evacuation plans often pair employees up so that each is responsible for making sure the other has evacuated and reached safety. In that instance, the buddy system reduces confusion and makes for a more organized system.

The buddy system also may be utilized in emergencies or instances when there is increased risk for injury, such as during a natural disaster or while engaging in certain risky activities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that buddies can each look out for hazardous conditions, safety demands and stressors. Buddies can be utilized when a person is swimming, surfing, hiking, biking, or camping in the wilderness.

Many schools also utilize buddy systems so that students are never alone. This is handy during school trips or when students are not on campus. The buddy system helps instill a sense of responsibility. Buddies help make sure their partners get back on the bus and are accounted for when there may not be enough adult chaperones.

Children who walk home from school or wait at a bus stop may be paired with a buddy for increased safety against strangers and other hazards. The Holts Summit Police Department in Missouri says that a child alone could become a much easier target if a predator drove by than if a child were with a buddy or in a group.

Buddies can be a friend, an older sibling or an adult approved by parents or guardians. Buddies also may be friends who are asked along when another wants to enjoy a night out on the town or use a rideshare

Buddies can be invaluable, offering assistance, performing first aid or calling for help in emergency situations.

or taxi service, but wants to minimize the risks that could arise if he or she goes it alone.

Using the buddy system can make various situations safer than going it alone, even for adults.

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