Holiday Giving

Well here it is the holiday season once again. I can with authority tell you that things are exciting on Lancaster Ave and around the homeless district. This weekend has seen large numbers of people and groups come into the area to distribute presents and other goodies to the homeless folks in the area. Food, clothing, winter coats, hats, socks, hygiene supplies and all sorts of other items are being distributed. Even a secret Santa turned up with envelopes of cash for some.

With that being said, this is only one time of year where giving abounds and in all honesty, homelessness is a year round condition. Yes it feels good to receive things, especially needed things, during this time of year.

The problem is that with the end of the holiday season, so ends the giving many of you do as well. Why not instead of doing a once a year feel good exercise establish a pattern of giving to the homeless year round.

Talk to your neighbors, to your church or set up your own group of people and do a “drive” a few times a year. Money is good too. Instead of going to the homeless district, contact the shelters and outreach organizations to distribute the items and money for you. They will do it fairly and make the best use of your donations.

Everybody knows about the shelters and truthfully they have the largest need because they serve the bulk of the homeless population. The ones that are forgotten or fall through the cracks are the homeless people who do not stay in the shelters. The campers or the ones who live in abandoned buildings, in their cars and under bridges. In many ways these are the people most in need of your assistance. I too was one of these people and more often than not I fell through the cracks of the system too.

Getting things to those unsheltered people is simple too. There are organizations who are more than happy to take your contributions and make sure they are distributed fairly and evenly as well.

One organization of note who works with the unsheltered homeless is the Catholic Charities Street Outreach team or SOS team. They make contact with many of the unsheltered homeless by going into the camps and other places where those who do not go to the shelters live.

Another outreach team is The Tarrant County Hands of Hope. This is another group who work with the unsheltered homeless mostly in north Ft Worth and the northern suburbs. They too go into the camps and under bridges to help those they find.

1^st Street Methodist Mission is another example of an organization who works with those who are unsheltered. While they serve all homeless people, many of the unsheltered use their services. Not only that but Catholic Charities SOS, the MHMR PATH team and the JPS Hospital outreach teams are present on the days 1^st Street is open to the homeless.

Beautiful Feet Ministries is also a good place to send items or donations for the unsheltered homeless. This organization is open 7 days a week providing meals and other needed supplies to those who live in the area. They also have a free medical clinic and other services.

There are many other organizations around and the ones I spoke of are only a few that I personally am familiar with from my homeless years living in a camp. By donating to them on a year round basis you can be assured that your donations are fairly and equally given to those who most need our love and caring.

If you wish to make donations to any of these organizations or wish to know more about them, feel free to contact me at homelessinftw@live.com or leave a comment here on the blog with a way for me to contact you or forward the information to you.