Helping the Homeless 101

Ever wondered what to do for those you meet on the street?

(Reprinted here from our upcoming late summer newsletter, coming August 15)

If winter is when we most often think of the homeless, summer is when we most often meet them.

Does this sound familiar? You’re downtown on an afternoon break, grabbing a cup of coffee. On your way back to the office, it happens: a disheveled man intercepts you and asks the dreaded question: “Do you have any spare change?”

He may tell you a story. His car broke down, and he’s trying to get a bus ticket. He’s a Vietnam vet—and a Christian—who hasn’t eaten for a few days. Can he have a dollar for a sandwich?

Look, we all want to be sensitive to the needs of others. It’s just that those needs are amplified when it’s someone on the street. That’s why it’s so hard to know what to do

So...what do you do?

A few years back, we talked with some of our guests at Union Mission Crossroads and came up with a primer on helping. WIth more and more people ending up on the streets—and because this is the time of year when we most often meet the homeless face-to-face—it’s a good time for a refresher.

First, if you’re going to give, give gift certificates rather than cash.
Look, there is no way to know the intentions of the transient you are helping. That’s why it is best to limit him in how he can use your gift. The next time you stop at a fast food restaurant, consider picking up a few gift certificates to keep in your car. If you come upon a needy person and you’ve run out of certificates, you can always buy food and bring it back to them.

If you don’t feel safe talking to a transient, don’t — but support someone who does. There is no shame in wanting to protect yourself and your loved ones by avoiding an unpredictable person. However, that man or woman is still “one of the least of these” that Jesus encouraged us to help. If not personally, you can still lend a helping hand by donating to local organizations with programs for transients, such as Union Mission’s Crossroads Shelter. (We also invite you to become a partner in our work. You can do so by logging on to our secure server.)

Pray, pray, pray.
Even if you do want to help, remember that transients may be heavily intoxicated and/or emotionally unstable. That leads to a high degree of unpredictability. Do not put yourself in potential danger without first asking God for wisdom in that situation.

Above all, show LOVE.
It’s incredible what some people will do to those they view as beneath them. Motorists will swerve off the road to scare hitchhikers, and sometimes they throw glass bottles. One of our guests shared the story of a man giving him a ride—all the way to the next county and “just to be mean.” Above all, our responsibility is to show God’s love to a world full of hurting people. Even if you encounter a person who is entirely un-loveable, remember that the love you show that man or woman is the love you show for Christ.

Most homeless will tell you it isn’t the money people gave them that means so much. Said one guest: “It’s when someone takes the time to do something for me, like go out and buy me some food. Giving me gloves on a cold day. That means more to me than money.”