Have you ever wondered how to help the homeless? Your heart goes out to them but maybe you’re not sure of how to help make a real difference. Is it cash they need most? Food? A job?!
While there’s a lot of ways of helping the homeless, Lydia personally loves to meet several of their needs at once.
Our Homeless Outreach Program was created to connect with unsheltered individuals and families experiencing homelessness and provide linkages to critical services – including housing navigation, shelter, assistance with obtaining identification documents and other vital records, assistance with employment and public benefits, and connection to healthcare services.
We also provide homeless blessing bags.
A homeless blessing bag is a small collection of items a homeless person might find useful.
How did Lydia decide what to include in the blessing bag? We asked. We went straight to the source, gathering information from shelters, homeless ministries, and the homeless themselves.
Homeless blessing bag items that you can donate.
- Clothing (Clothing wears out quickly when you’re wearing it every day). Socks and Tee-Shirts were highest on the list.
- Cold weather clothing (hats, gloves, scarves, coats)
- Toiletries and personal hygiene items (toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, perfume, cologne, make-up, sanitary products, disposable razors, shaving cream, etc.)
- Bedding Blankets and sleeping bags (the more easily portable, the better).
- Non-perishable food items
- Fast Food or Grocery store gift cards (This provides them with not only food but also a place to get out of the street for a while, use the restroom, etc., since many stores only allow paying customers inside).
- Resource Card (information with helpful nearby services, along with addresses and phone numbers, on a notecard or piece of paper).
- An Encouraging Note. The homeless are often denied basic dignity and even acknowledgment by others. Including an encouraging note with the gift of food or hygiene items, telling them you care and that they matter, could be just the words they need to hear! For more information contact us.