JenC3 Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 My kids are very upset when they see homeless/hungry people with signs on the street. We always give cash if I have it, but we found info on blessing bags and really want to make some to hand out when we see someone in need. Has anyone here made then and what kind of stuff did you include/ what was the reaction you got after handing one out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naturalmom Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 but since we're not crafty they were just ziploc bags with items inside. We had things like a tuna snackpack (no can opener required), granola bars, fruit bars, cheese or p.b. crackers, juice. Anything you'd put in a lunchbox:) Handwipes might be helpful, too. We were always thanked. If it was warmer weather, we included more drinks. Another option is gift certificates for food places that are near where people often stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I have a friend who said she kept extra blankets in the car and $5 gc to McD or similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I don't like to give cash because I don't want to accidentally support an alcohol or drug abuse problem. But, we've done cloth bags made out of dollar a yard fabric from Walmart or JoAnn's clearance. In them we have put, peanut butter, plastic knife, bread, apples, raisins, pinto and kidney beans (canned, but we include a $1.00 store can opener), plastic spoons, and a blanket. We do not see very many homeless at all where we live now, but we did when we lived near Portland, OR and so I made those up...two a month but that was all I could afford at the time. Those that needed food were grateful and that was the usual response. We did have them refused occasionally and some "F-yous" once in a while. My assumption in those circumstances was that the person wanted cash for not so good purposes. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I don't like to give cash because I don't want to accidentally support an alcohol or drug abuse problem. That has crossed my mind, too, but I figure they could just sell the food to someone on the street and get cash that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 My dh and I have done lots of homeless ministry. Like Faith, we rarely give out money. However, we will never let someone who is asking for food go hungry. Yes, we've had our share of people turn us down when we say 'No, I don't have any money to give you. But would you like some food?' But then we've also had people gratefully take the food. We have never done 'blessing bags' exactly; we do fresh meals when we visit the homeless. (Where we live, there aren't homeless, so it's not as if we see them in our everyday coming and going. However it's about thirty minutes from our suburb to downtown Detroit.) If you wanted something to keep in your car to pass out, I'd suggest using a gallon ziplock, and some things I would put it would be: Water bottle 100% juice box granola bars peanut butter/cheese crackers nuts beef jerky individual cups of canned fruit w/ a spoon dried fruit napkin/hand wipe You could also have separate toilietry bags, if you're comfortable asking if they need them. I'd have seperate ones for women and men, with travel sized things. Men: Razor shaving cream chapstick lotion toothbrush toothpaste comb Womem: lotion chapstick feminine hygiene products toothbrush toothpaste comb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 We did this at MOPS. We just did a basic bag but it was nice that we could give them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 That has crossed my mind, too, but I figure they could just sell the food to someone on the street and get cash that way. I don't think it's very likely they'd be able to sell whatever food you would give them. I mean, who would they sell it to; a fellow homeless person? If I was homeless, hungy, and had money, I'd go buy my own food from McDonalds, CVS, etc. instead of buying it off of someone else. I've never encountered homeless being able to get drug money by selling food. Dh and I don't usually give cash, because let's face it, there *is* a fair chance it would be spent on alcohol or drugs. There have been times when we knew the person's story, or had a relationship built with them, etc, where we've given small amounts of cash for specific purposes. However usually, we give fresh food, shelf stable food, blankets, coats, shirts, hats, socks, pants, gloves, toiletries, and bibles. And the gospel message. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yes, we did this as a service project with our co-op. Some bags we were able to hand out the car window at stop lights to those holding signs. Others we left under bridges where a homeless person had made camp (no one was there). In every case the bag was gratefully received. We made one bag with food items and one with toiletries and then packed both inside a larger ziplock. Raisins Mini-flashlight with batteries Peanuts Bandaids Pack of Baby-wipes Hard Candy Soup in pop-to cans packs of Lance crackers granola bars cups of applesauce cups/cans of fruit (like peaches or something) juice boxes bottle of water beef jerky small bars of soap toothbrushes boxes of toothpaste small bottles of lotion small deodorants chapsticks portable hand wipes small kleenex packs spoons/napkins (for fruit and applesauce track and Bible Here is a list from a local group http://www.churchinthewoods.net/howtohelp.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I don't think it's very likely they'd be able to sell whatever food you would give them. I mean, who would they sell it to; a fellow homeless person? If I was homeless, hungy, and had money, I'd go buy my own food from McDonalds, CVS, etc. instead of buying it off of someone else. I've never encountered homeless being able to get drug money by selling food. Dh and I don't usually give cash, because let's face it, there *is* a fair chance it would be spent on alcohol or drugs. There have been times when we knew the person's story, or had a relationship built with them, etc, where we've given small amounts of cash for specific purposes. However usually, we give fresh food, shelf stable food, blankets, coats, shirts, hats, socks, pants, gloves, toiletries, and bibles. And the gospel message. :001_smile: That makes sense. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I love this idea! I think we're going to make some of these with our group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 These are great ideas. We have two local women who appear to reside (or spend most of their time) next to my favorite starbucks. We usually give cash to one (and I know she spends it on food because I see her walk directly into the grocery store in the strip), but the other woman appears to have a disability of some sort - she just stammers that she shouldn't take the money (if she says anything at all; often she doesn't). Thing is, I don't think they are hurting for food - they are staples in the area and I generally see them with stacks of deli sandwiches and salads that the locals have purchased for them; given the money though, one of them will always spend it on food. A blessing bag with toiletries is something I would be very interested in giving. I don't think they ever spend the cash on stuff like that (because food understandably seems more important). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenC3 Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 Thanks for all the ideas ladies! This is one of our holiday projects so I want get our supplies this weekend. The kids are so excited. There is a camp off of the interstate where we plan on delivering blankets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sctigermom Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 I have a friend who said she kept extra blankets in the car and $5 gc to McD or similar. I find our house overflowing with blankets (I think each yr we get several as Christmas gifts). I am getting them ready to go in my car to hand out. It gets pretty cold here. Does McDonald's still do those dollar gift certificates? That would be good too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 What a beautiful idea. I am going to make some. This thread made me think about my dad. (He is still alive, by the way.) He liked to give away warm coats to homeless people in DC, where he worked. He would find a sleeping homeless person, and cover them with the coat. He would also tuck $50 in the pocket of the coat. Some of his money probably did buy alcohol and drugs. But that's what he wanted to do. He now lives in Florida. The homeless there do not need winter coats. So he sends coats to my sister in Chicago for her to give away. I don't think she goes downtown and actually finds homeless people, but rather donates them to shelters. Have I mentioned how much I love my dad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 What a beautiful idea. I am going to make some. This thread made me think about my dad. (He is still alive, by the way.) He liked to give away warm coats to homeless people in DC, where he worked. He would find a sleeping homeless person, and cover them with the coat. He would also tuck $50 in the pocket of the coat. Some of his money probably did buy alcohol and drugs. But that's what he wanted to do. He now lives in Florida. The homeless there do not need winter coats. So he sends coats to my sister in Chicago for her to give away. I don't think she goes downtown and actually finds homeless people, but rather donates them to shelters. Have I mentioned how much I love my dad? He sounds precious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 He sounds precious! He is. I have really wonderful parents. I am lucky. (My mom did a lot of stuff, too, just in a different way.) But I am really psyched about blessing bags. I am thinking of making some fleece blankets with pouches and putting stuff in the pouches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 He is. I have really wonderful parents. I am lucky. (My mom did a lot of stuff, too, just in a different way.) But I am really psyched about blessing bags. I am thinking of making some fleece blankets with pouches and putting stuff in the pouches. Great idea! Hand warmers might be a welcome item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 We make lunches to hand out to homeless people. The kids decorate the brown bags and we put a hand drawn picture and a note inside (something like, "God loves you," or "God bless you" or "We are praying for you today.") We don't give them to the people with signs, we just go to the areas we know the homeless congregate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenC3 Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 Great idea! Hand warmers might be a welcome item. Yes, I'm making rice warmers. Maybe they can go ino a gas station and heat them in the microwave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Yes, I'm making rice warmers. Maybe they can go ino a gas station and heat them in the microwave. Oh, yeah! I wouldn't have thought of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i.love.lucy Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 There is a ministry called Bags of Grace that does this. You can either organize your local group to put some together to keep in your car, or make them as a group and give them to Bags of Grace to distribute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 That has crossed my mind, too, but I figure they could just sell the food to someone on the street and get cash that way. Yes, they do. The people in our area who do the most work with homeless people really discourage people from doing anything but giving to a reputable organization working holistically with people who are homeless so that the underlying problem can be addressed, rather than keep people barely surviving, or trading even food for drug money, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Yes, they do. The people in our area who do the most work with homeless people really discourage people from doing anything but giving to a reputable organization working holistically with people who are homeless so that the underlying problem can be addressed, rather than keep people barely surviving, or trading even food for drug money, etc. Yeah, I can see how that would make a difference at the root of the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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