Last week, a homeless woman I know came by with her uncle, driving a 1980 something beat-up old truck with many living materials in the back. She has a child, and I packed up some personal care items because that’s what I do. She wasn’t with her child at that moment as it was a school day. I was glad to know this because her daughter gets two meals a day at school. I mentioned to mom to check with her school about meals during summer break. It’ll be an effort to find shelter near enough the school, but worth it for her child’s sake. I told her I would work on trying to find a tent for them over the next week. It certainly is a struggle for all involved. If you ever look for a tent to help the homeless, please remember whatever number of persons a tent reads, it’s the number of persons sleeping next to each other, with very little room to move. So, for the sake of reality, a ten-person tent fits four people comfortably. An eight-person tent is adequate for three people, and a six-person tent is excellent for two persons to have some maneuverability. It’s important to remember that a tent is a home and not a weekend plaything, so bigger is better, provided the logistics of transporting and setting up can be handled. Also, setup and breakdown time is important. The easier, the better.
Her news of the day was that she had applied to become the guardian of her uncle as he is disabled. For them, this was just the next stop on the journey, and they were pretty matter of fact about it… or at least they tried to appear that way. I’m more inclined to believe in the latter. I offered a prayer in the shade, but the sweat had already begun from the noon-time heat. Later, I thanked God for providing the “daily bread” for the day through some extra water for the road, a gift card to a local restaurant, and a few gallons of gas. Now it’s time for that 8 to 10 person sized tent with a divider for the three of them and perhaps a box of baby wipes for a moment to freshen up. I’ll typically get Huggies brand as they’re easy to tear into quarters as homeless people are adept at rationing what goods come their way.
When we speak of tents, the Ocala National Forrest extends through the county where I live. At any given time, there are 500 – 1000 homeless students and their families, along with a few thousand homeless persons scattered through the 387,000 acres of Florida’s nature and woods. It’s an easy place to get lost, and encounters with gators happen from time to time. Because of its homeless identity, the Forrest often overshadows those camping out behind strip malls and shopping centers. We of the Clean Kids Backpack Progam have collected tens of thousands of personal care items for Forrest students through a couple of programs designed to target the area. A refreshing note is that the school bus service goes to specific areas of the Forrest, so most of our homeless children will receive items in their backpacks each Friday for the trip back to where they are staying. We are grateful for those ongoing backpack programs providing food and clothing.
The hardest part is dealing with homeless persons is in the initial encounter. Some folks are at ease with their homelessness but still yearn for a long-term solution. Some folks have given up that hope months or even years earlier. Homeless persons walking around nearby your residence never feels comfortable as fear or robbery or worse can’t help but come to mind. And many homeless persons experience fears of violence toward them and ridicule, and forever being told to leave, not to mention constant anxiety over survival. Churches, soup kitchens, and shelters are designed to help, so they are good places to bring items if you feel uncertain about direct contact. We reach out to the public to increase awareness and to let people know they are needed as part of the solution and our systems are in place and working. All you need to do to help fulfill this purpose of serving the less fortunate is offer a little love and sacrifice. Join our mission by donating some personal care items you probably have acquired from a hotel or cruise ship along the way, just sitting and collecting dust somewhere in your home. Please consider dropping these items off at the homeless department of your local school district. Remember, dignity itself is a commodity for the homeless.
The need to maintain dignity is something constantly challenged in the life of homeless students and their families. It’s important not to treat encounters as if you need to display great emotional sympathy. It often robs the person of that dignity and can end up appearing as if it’s more about your reaction than the suffering of the homeless person. Your genuine gesture of simple giving says everything. We want the homeless children in school to blend in with other children. The same goes for their families in public. We often think of the homeless as the disheveled person under the bridge holding a sign. Those are just the tips of homeless icebergs. You will never see most homeless students and their families. However, if you find out about someone, the best way to treat them is with love and compassion, and pity in your heart. A matter-of-fact attitude promotes far more emotional security than telling them how much you understand, promoting insecurity by feeling exposed. I present and include myself as someone who treats personal care items like gold. As I mentioned tearing Huggies into quarters, I’ll offer, “I found these the easiest to tear into quarters so that I can get the most out of them.” That way, I’ve offered a suggestion without coming across as someone who consciously or unconsciously considers himself above anyone else. It’s never an easy call because inner peace can be complicated. Keep praying for wisdom, and keep trying to help as best you can. You are so important to this cause!
