How You Can Help The Homeless

Picture taken in front of Heber Wells Building, Oct 2010

What do you do when you see a homeless person? What if they approach you holding a sign or ask for money? Do you give them some? Do you feel guilty if you don't? Or do you pretend not to see them?

Nobody likes to be confronted by the homeless. Their needs seem so overwhelming. Yet they deserve to be treated kindly. Here are some simple guidelines from The Rescue Mission of Salt Lake to really help the homeless people you meet.

1. Don't give them cash. If they are hungry, buy them a sandwich or a beverage. Too often well intended gifts of cash to the homeless are converted into drugs or alcohol--even when the "hard luck" stories they tell are true.
2. Homeless people are not all the same. The person you meet may be a battered woman, an addicted veteran, mentally ill, a con artist, or someone who's lost a job. Refer them to someone who is trained to deal with their problems.
3. Talk to the person with respect. Many of the homeless are consumed by isolation, depression and paranoia. If a homeless person approaches you, a friendly response (even when saying "NO") can help restore a degree of respect.
4. Be cautious and alert when you talk to someone on the street. Stay in areas where others can see you, and don't take unnecessary chances. Don't feel that you are being uncaring if your personal safety is in question.
5. Encourage the homeless to get help. Free meals, shelter and medical care as well as rehabilitation programs are available.
6. Donate to a cause to support the homeless.
7. Check out the website: http://www.endpanhandling.com/

Charity Codes:

1014 Crossroads Urban Center is a non-profit, grassroots organization which assists and organizes low income, disabled, and minority Utahns to meet basic survival needs and to address essential issues affecting the quality of life. The Center was instrumental in establishing homeless shelters and the statewide Food Bank.
1118 Fourth Street Clinic is a comprehensive medical home providing coordinated primary care, behavioral health, and pharmacy services.
1037 Rescue Mission of Salt Lake City provides: A free, whole person, 1 year New Life Residential Recovery Program
An "open door" breakfast six days a week
An "open door" dinner every night of the year
Food baskets for families in need
Emergency sleeping accommodations in our overnight Dorm for up to 50 men every night
A Baggage Room where men may check in their baggage
A Message Board where we post telephone messages for guests
Mail reception
Free clothing distribution
Access to our Dorm facility three days a week for men to shave and shower
Day Room open during the winter months and during inclement weather.
7556 The Road Home is a private non-profit social service agency that assists individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake County and along the Wasatch Front. Our mission is to help people step out of homelessness and back into our community. Originally established in 1923 to assist stranded travelers, the Road Home has grown to address a spectrum of needs that people experiencing homelessness encounter as they work to restore their lives. In addition to operating the largest shelter in Utah, the Road Home has developed a comprehensive housing program that helps people move into housing as quickly as possible.

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door." -Emma Lazarus

Bailey's Story

Eleven years old border collie Bailey had been to the animal shelter already once before and was again looking for a new home. He is a sweet dog who was obedience, and crate trained and had great manners. Still he had only been gone 1.5 years before he was back at the shelter because Bailey's second owner could no longer take care of him. When Bailey was returned to the shelter he had a mass on his eye and a lump on his chest. The shelter vet cleaned his teeth, fixed his eye and gave him a new chance in life. My friend Sarha found Bailey at the animal shelter when he was recovering from his surgery. It was love at the first sight.   Six months later Bailey and Sarha did their first visit as a therapy dog team:

"Today Bailey had his first therapy dog visit at the nursing home. Wow, I knew he was a great dog but didn't know what to expect!  Bailey did perfect!  He loved meeting the old folks and getting pets and attention.  He would lay his head in their lap for them to scratch his ears.  He sure loved it. We met one couple and Bailey just loved the man. The husband is in good health but is there living with his wife, who has alzheimers. Very sweet couple.  Bailey let the man scratch him all over, wiggling his body in enjoyment.  He was just smiling the whole time. The husband loved Bailey and told me I could go but I have to leave Bailey. <g>  It was a very nice visit and I will be going back to seeing them again.  We met wit several other people too.

Then when we were getting ready to leave and a lady approached us and asked if I would come visit with her mom who was sitting at the park. She is in hospice care now but she said she had many dogs in her lifetime and knew her mom would just love to visit with Bailey. I agreed to go visit with her. We walked across the street to the nursing home's park. Very lovely area with a huge fountain and flowers everywhere.  She was covered up in a blanket and the woman told me that her mom was very cold dispite the warm sun they were sitting in. When we approached the woman she was shivering and looked 'asleep' with her head down. The daughter held her hand and said , "Mom.. look what I found" and the woman lifted her head and smiled. She said, "do you want to pet the dog? It is a border collie, isn't he beautiful".  And the mom said "yes"  so I walked closer and told Bailey "okay, go say Hi" and Bailey walked up to her and  put his head on her knee, she reached down and scratched his head.. Bailey just kept his head on her lap so I kneeled down so I could hear her (she talked very softly) and she said to me "Dogs are such wonderful creatures, you have no idea how much this means to me." By this time she had taken the blanket off of herself.  She just kept stroking Bailey and he just kept enjoying it , very calm and relaxed. A few minutes later, the daughter asked her mom if she was cold and she shook her head 'no'. We stayed for a few minutes longer and than got ready to go. As we were saying our good bye, she grabbed her daughters hand and said, "I'm very warm now." I was so happy I could cry to hear her say that.  Bailey had taken her mind off of how she was feeling and her body temperature went up. What a wonderful feeling that I could take 10 minutes out of my time and make someone feel good for the rest of the day. I couldn't be more satisfied and pleased. As we were walking away, the  daughter called me and said "My mom just said that Bailey is a beautiful dog and thank you for letting us visit".

As we were leaving the park, one of the patients we had visited before was being visited by (what looked like) his daughter and wife. He also had alzheimers and seemed not be aware of what we were doing there during our visit but he talked about GSD's that his daughter had. Well, on our way out we saw him with his family and his wife said "We heard ALL about you, he hasn't stopped talking about your visit with him, Thank you! ".  I talked with her for awhile about Bailey and what a great dog he is. She thanked me a million times for taking time to visit with her husband.  I was overwhelmed with emotions and gratification!
 I was chocked up as I walked away but not because I was sad... but because I was very happy and felt good that I could make a difference in so many peoples lives in one short hour of my day.
Even though it is sad to see people in these situations there is positives in doing therapy work and that is to give when people need to receive the most, putting smiles on their face, my face and Bailey's face."

Websites: 

Pet Partners http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=183 Code: 4088

Intermountain Therapy Animals http://www.therapyanimals.org/ Code: 2506

No More Homeless Pets http://www.utahpets.org/nmhcms/  Code: 1032