Our recent and prolonged cold snap made me wish there was more I could do to help folks who sleep outside or those who can’t afford to heat their homes to a comfortable temperature. I talked with Jake Weber and Elizabeth Ralston at FamilyWorks, our neighborhood food bank and resource center, for advice about how to help in meaningful ways.
If you’re the sort of person who likes to have something on hand to give to people sleeping out in the elements, Elizabeth recommends practical cold weather items: socks, hand warmers, blankets, gloves/mittens, hats, coats and cups of soup. Bus tickets are always desired to help get to shelters or just stay out of the cold. You can also ask the person if there is something they want – this avoids potential awkwardness if they cannot eat something that you purchase for them. Jake said,
Someone was telling me they offered apples to a person and was declined. However, many of our low income customers have dental issues and find apples hard to chew. Also, some of these people do not have cooking facilities, so it is best to donate canned food to food banks and find something that can be consumed easily without preparation.
Actually speaking to someone who is asking for money has the added bonus of establishing human contact. As Jake said:
People who are homeless and poor are often alone and isolated and in need of a community and that kind of thing is hard to find.
In addition to making a human connection, you can also choose to support organizations that assist low income people. Given the response to Adrian and other discussions on this blog, many in our community have strong feelings against giving money directly to homeless folks yet still want to help. Supporting these organizations is a terrific way of putting your money (or time) where your mouth is. Elizabeth suggests the following:
If you are not comfortable giving money directly to people, choose an organization that has a well-thought out strategy and sustainable programs. They have the know-how and can advocate for low-income people. In addition to FamilyWorks, you’ve got 45th St. Clinic which has the homeless teen clinic where homeless teens receive free medical care, the Wallingford Boys and Girls Club which serves low income kids and also kids with special needs who have a place to go before and after school, the Community Psychiatric Clinic, and the Wallingford Community Senior Center.
You can contact any organization to find out what would be useful. Some people organize coat and blanket drives, food drives, fundraisers, or groups of friends and colleagues for a day of volunteering onsite.
As a food bank, FamilyWorks serves anyone who lives the following zip codes: 98103, 98107, 98115 and 98133. Their clientele represent all ages, family structures and multiple ethnicities. Trying to stock a food bank for such diversity can be tricky! FamilyWorks has a wishlist available on their website, with additional wishes specific to the holiday season. Those include:
- Frozen turkeys
- Stuffing
- Canned green beans, peas and corn
- Gravy mix
- Cranberry sauce
- Pumpkin pie mix
- Evaporated milk
- Boxed mashed potato flakes
- 30, 50 or 100 pound bags of rice, beans, oats, grains and pasta
- Children’s toys
- Size 3 Diapers (diapers are always a need!)
Holiday food donations will be accepted at FamilyWorks through December 23rd during their normal business hours, which are:
- Monday – 9:30am – 12pm
- Tuesday – 9:30am – 5pm
- Wednesday – 9:30am – 5pm
- Thursday – 9:30am – 5pm
- Friday – 9:30am – 1pm
However, if you can’t get it together to drop off something in the next week, Elizabeth would like you to remember that hunger is a year round problem. Plenty of people are still hungry in February, so whenever the mood strikes you to do a kind turn for a neighbor, FamilyWorks will be happy to accept your donation of time, talent or treasure.
Great article Kimberly! You covered a lot of important topics — including why people might refuse food offered to them. Inspired by my neighbor, Gina, who did a coat drive at work for Solid Ground/Family Works, I’ve gathered a pile of my warm stuff and have asked my neighbors if they have any to share. While I missed the recent cold snap, I’ll have a donation for Family Works soon that will hopefully help for future ones.
I appreciate this article very much. Thanks for the good suggestions.