What can we do to help the homeless and the poor

[WilT]

As a Church, what can we do the assist the poor and the homeless? Apart from praying I believe we need to rethink our priorities as our Holy Father Pope Francis has constantly told us. Yes, we will always have the poor amongst us and I believe this is so because they will be the ones to help each one of us become more understanding, gentler, and compassionate. Love is charity and therefore we need to be assisting those in need.

 

[Starrsmother]

Your question is an excellent one and I’ve thought the same thing. I donate to Catholic charities but a little voice inside me keeps telling me that is the easy way out and perhaps I need to “get my hands a little dirty” so to speak. I live in a very small town though and we don’t have many truly poor and our soup kitchen etc is already over ran with volunteers. I’d love to hear ideas too.

 

[suko]

Does your parish have a community outreach program? One of the parishes near me has something called a PBJ (Peanut Butter and Jelly) Outreach Program. Their “Mission” statement says: PBJ (Peanut Butter and Jelly) Outreach Inc. is an ecumenical group of people volunteering their time and services to provide food, clothing, and basic social services to homeless people as well as those who are below the poverty level, living in the depressed and impoverished areas of the Metropolitan Detroit area. Every Saturday morning PBJ Outreach provides food, cold and hot drinks, clothing to approximately 250-350 homeless people.

 

[mountee]

This is a great thread to challenge each of us as to what we can do or try to do the help the poor. Many people are all ready doing everything and then some for those who need it but many of us could probably find a way to give a little more whether it be of our time or our giving. In my area we have Catholic Charities, SVP and other groups which provide opportunities for giving or volunteering, I know that I could do more with these groups but I need to get busy and do it. If each person who had just a little more they could give or do did just that we would move forward in this area tremendously. As a Church I believe that this same idea, give a little more do a little more, could also be applied.

 

[Isca]

My church distributes food from the Parish House for 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I have just started volunteering there, it took a while to get all my criminal record clearances through but it’s all done now!

It’s run by volunteers and we rely purely on donations from the people of the parish (either food or small cash donations) and from some other groups, such as a convent that supplies polystyrene cups and lids for the hot drinks. People can have two rounds of sandwiches (we offer about 6 choices), a hot or cold drink (or soup) and cake, biscuits or crisps. Some of the callers come in the morning and again in the afternoon, and I wonder if that’s their only food all day.

They are not all homeless, but some live in bedsit accommodation with no cooking facilities. There are also a lot of folk who come who have problems with addiction to drugs or alcohol. No-one is turned away, anyone who asks is given food. We are a holiday town with a growing population of Eastern Europeans, and sadly some of them find it difficult to keep their heads above water when they come here.

God bless them all.

 

[prometheus1]

My church distributes food from the Parish House for 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I have just started volunteering there, it took a while to get all my criminal record clearances through but it’s all done now!

It’s run by volunteers and we rely purely on donations from the people of the parish (either food or small cash donations) and from some other groups, such as a convent that supplies polystyrene cups and lids for the hot drinks. People can have two rounds of sandwiches (we offer about 6 choices), a hot or cold drink (or soup) and cake, biscuits or crisps. Some of the callers come in the morning and again in the afternoon, and I wonder if that’s their only food all day.

They are not all homeless, but some live in bedsit accommodation with no cooking facilities. There are also a lot of folk who come who have problems with addiction to drugs or alcohol. No-one is turned away, anyone who asks is given food. We are a holiday town with a growing population of Eastern Europeans, and sadly some of them find it difficult to keep their heads above water when they come here.

Thank you for restoring my 'faith’than our nation is not turning into a nation of right wing bigots…with more people like you I think we will finally put the Great back into Britain.

God bless them all.

 

[tawny]

My Parish has a community outreach program & food pantry that serves the whole community. Our school children deliver meals to the homebound & Project Hospitality Services. We are also still helping out those families that remain effected by Hurricane Sandy, that are still homeless. Our Friary’s OFS also supports families within the community as part of our Apostalate.

 

[prometheus1]

My church distributes food from the Parish House for 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I have just started volunteering there, it took a while to get all my criminal record clearances through but it’s all done now!

It’s run by volunteers and we rely purely on donations from the people of the parish (either food or small cash donations) and from some other groups, such as a convent that supplies polystyrene cups and lids for the hot drinks. People can have two rounds of sandwiches (we offer about 6 choices), a hot or cold drink (or soup) and cake, biscuits or crisps. Some of the callers come in the morning and again in the afternoon, and I wonder if that’s their only food all day.

They are not all homeless, but some live in bedsit accommodation with no cooking facilities. There are also a lot of folk who come who have problems with addiction to drugs or alcohol. No-one is turned away, anyone who asks is given food. We are a holiday town with a growing population of Eastern Europeans, and sadly some of them find it difficult to keep their heads above water when they come here.

God bless them all.

Thank you for restoring my ‘faith’ that our beautiful country is not turning into a nation of right wing bigots…with more people like you, we will put the Great back into Britain.

 

[prometheus1]

My church distributes food from the Parish House for 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I have just started volunteering there, it took a while to get all my criminal record clearances through but it’s all done now!

It’s run by volunteers and we rely purely on donations from the people of the parish (either food or small cash donations) and from some other groups, such as a convent that supplies polystyrene cups and lids for the hot drinks. People can have two rounds of sandwiches (we offer about 6 choices), a hot or cold drink (or soup) and cake, biscuits or crisps. Some of the callers come in the morning and again in the afternoon, and I wonder if that’s their only food all day.

They are not all homeless, but some live in bedsit accommodation with no cooking facilities. There are also a lot of folk who come who have problems with addiction to drugs or alcohol. No-one is turned away, anyone who asks is given food. We are a holiday town with a growing population of Eastern Europeans, and sadly some of them find it difficult to keep their heads above water when they come here.

God bless them all.

Thank you for restoring my ‘faith’ that our beautiful country is not turning into a nation of right wing bigots…with more people like you, we will put the Great back into Britain.

 

[friardchips]

Hi. Newbie to the site. Just wanted to say that this page is a good nudge, so thank you, you’ve made me think! Friardchips.

 

[Isca]

Thank you for restoring my ‘faith’ that our beautiful country is not turning into a nation of right wing bigots…with more people like you, we will put the Great back into Britain.

That’s kind of you to say - there are people there who have been doing it for years, including a lovely nun who is now in her mid-80s, but does a lot of physical work. Over 10,000 bags of food are given out every year.

And I tend to avoid right-wing bigots, they are not good for the soul!

 

[QuestLove]

There are many, many homeless high school and college students who are doing it on their own. Maybe, we can find some way to also focus resources that these students can escape these conditions. There has been a story in the media the last month about a homeless student who was a Valedictorian. Everyone is surprised, but few realised that many of our children are homeless and going it alone.

 

[eschator83]

In the US we tend to view homelessness and vagrancy mistakenly as personal freedoms, whereas they are unsanitary, unsafe, and promote crime. The Church should provide more temporary shelter and support for those who will accept it, and press for involuntary incarceration for those who resist public and private housing assistance. The Church should be more active in providing counseling, jobs, and job search assistance. The Church should provide better and more accessible education for children and adults.
It’s impossible to fly very high when your left wing won’t or can’t work.

 

[WilT]

Your question is an excellent one and I’ve thought the same thing. I donate to Catholic charities but a little voice inside me keeps telling me that is the easy way out and perhaps I need to “get my hands a little dirty” so to speak. I live in a very small town though and we don’t have many truly poor and our soup kitchen etc is already over ran with volunteers. I’d love to hear ideas too.

The key Starrsmother is to befriend a somewhat good homeless individual during these soup kitchen events. Next, *sit down with them *and have a meal with them. This is where one advances in Charity. One no longer is an onlooker but rather a participant of a greater story. Do this regularly. Be kind and pleasant to them. They can read a con job if you fake it. They do allow you some time for bonding and gaining their confidence. Then ask God to give you understanding of their plight and soon charitable doors open up and true knowledge and empathy take hold.

 

[WilT]

My church distributes food from the Parish House for 4 hours a day, 6 days a week.

They are not all homeless, but some live in bedsit accommodation with no cooking facilities. There are also a lot of folk who come who have problems with addiction to drugs or alcohol.

God bless them all.

What a great service you provide. Good luck and God bless with volunteering your time with them. Buonjiorno!

 

[WilT]

Thank you for restoring my ‘faith’ that our beautiful country is not turning into a nation of right wing bigots…with more people like you, we will put the Great back into Britain.

 

[WilT]

There are many, many homeless high school and college students who are doing it on their own. Maybe, we can find some way to also focus resources that these students can escape these conditions. There has been a story in the media the last month about a homeless student who was a Valedictorian. Everyone is surprised, but few realised that many of our children are homeless and going it alone.

Yes, I’ve run into a few college aged homeless men.

 

[WilT]

nation of right wing bigots…

let’s take it easy on name calling. I would like to keep this thread open. Thanx

 

[JButky]

If you are a frequent business traveler, an easy thing to do is to take your leftovers after meals and then give them to one of the workers outside your hotel or anyone else you come across that appears to be in need. Most often when traveling on business, most people don’t take their leftovers because they have no place to keep them in their room - lack of a fridge, leaving in the morning, etc. Don’t just let the restaurant server take your plate away with food. Get a box and hand it off to someone in need.

 

[WilT]

A little too harsh of a penalty but I do like the idea of providing counseling and jobs and job search assistance. In my area there are no services of any kind worth bragging about. We need, especially during this Depression, more services and funding. In my area of California the care for the poor is very weak. The word needs to get out and help, help, help.