7 Do’s and Don'ts to Help the Homeless
Homelessness is a significant barrier to success for many in Denton County. In just a year alone, 1,200 people experience homelessness, and more than 80% of women and children experiencing homelessness have been victims of domestic abuse.
But with a myriad of problems, there’s a plethora of answers.
Many of the answers begin with knowing what organizations like Giving Hope, Inc. are doing and how you can partner with them.
And as your heart goes out to them, here’s a list of what you should and should not do to help people out of homelessness.
Listen to our podcast episode with Tyheshia Scott to learn more.
1. Don’t assume everyone experiencing homelessness is addicted to drugs and alcohol
Instead…understand that there are many paths to homelessness
You’ve probably heard it before when someone is asked for money from a person experiencing homelessness, “I’m not giving them money, they’ll just use it for booze”.
Not only does that statement lack compassion, it lacks understanding.
Although, in some cases that statement might be true, in many others, it’s not.
Substance abuse can be both a cause and a result of homelessness, but a common stereotype of the homeless population is that they are all alcoholics or drug abusers.
This often arises after people lose their housing. And losing housing can come in a variety of ways.
A car repair can lead someone to unemployment and ultimately eviction.
A divorce can lead to someone without a home.
A medical emergency and lack of familial support can lead someone to homelessness.
An unpaid utility bill can break a lease agreement and be a boot to the streets.
Be an advocate for the services that are needed to recover from homelessness.
Early intervention is crucial when someone with housing stability is placed in jeopardy by any of these factors. A cascade effect that turns a temporary situation into chronic crisis can be avoided with the appropriate support and resources.
However, for those who have already found themselves in a place of chronic homelessness, it's not that far of a stretch to imagine what someone has to do in order to deal with the obstacles that come without having a home. And the truth is that many people experiencing homelessness do turn to substances to cope with their situation.
Of course it’s not encouraged; but it is understandable.
And unfortunately, what is used as an attempt to attain temporary relief only exacerbates their problems and potential for stability.
So the question becomes – when trying to help someone out of homelessness, are there effective drug and alcohol treatment programs available?
If you don’t know, find out.
And if you find out there isn’t, be an advocate for the services that are needed to recover from homelessness.
A great starting point is contacting organizations who have an abundance of resources such as Recovery Resource Council or Health Services of North Texas to get the ball rolling.
2. Don’t go into encampments (even if your motives are good)
Instead… get connected with your community’s homelessness coalition
In order to fight homelessness, you have to understand homelessness. And you definitely don’t want to unravel the progress that’s already been in the works.
Who knows the facts, figures, and people experiencing homelessness better than the organizations who are already serving the homeless community?
Believe it or not, there are many aspects behind the scenes that play into a person’s homelessness. The easiest to recognize, obviously, is financial and meal assistance. But what’s harder to see at times are factors such as mental health care, transportation, job readiness, healthcare, nutrition access and education.
One of the most effective ways to combat homelessness, is to prevent homelessness.
If you really want to help support a person out of homelessness, look deeper into the issue. Which aspect of homelessness speaks to you the most? Align yourself with an organization who tackles that specifically, and be a part of a long-term change.
Partner with organizations whose sole mission is to provide support services aimed at making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.
This is big: One of the most effective ways to combat homelessness, is to prevent homelessness. Agencies around Denton County are driven to ensure housing practices are being followed in the community. Don’t just fight the problem when you can help stop the problem in the first place.
Giving Hope Inc. offers rental assistance, street outreach, homelessness prevention, and permanent supportive housing.
Grace Like Rain offers resources and programs that break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.
Texoma Council of Governments helps with utility assistance.
Community Services, Inc. helps with employment services.
Vision Ministries offers food, clothing and essential items to under-resourced individuals.
Our Daily Bread feeds and cares for the homeless and at-risk community.
Journey to Dream offers resources and support for at-risk and homeless teens.
Serve Denton offers a one stop shop of referrals for holistic care and support.
And that’s just to name a few…
3. Don’t give with the mindset that “it’s better than nothing”
Instead… give things that can actually be used
Those ragged old items don’t belong in your donation pile. They probably belong in the trash. And those torn clothes, and broken toys shouldn’t be up for discussion, either.
The mindset of giving junk because “it’s better than nothing, so they should be happy” transfers an air of callousness from you to the person you’re “helping”.
What leaves you feeling saintly, leaves them feeling belittled, and probably a little hardened to the idea of accepting support from others next time.
And when it comes to giving food…
Are you giving something that needs to be microwaved?
Will utensils be required to consume that product?
Can that can even be opened?
Many people experiencing homelessness do not have access to many of the items you take for granted – a can-opener, a microwave, forks and spoons.
So in place of those items, good products to give could be:
Protein bars (needed nutritional value)
Fruit cups (easily drunk)
Vienna sausages (hello, pop-tops!)
Tuna (in zippered pouches)
Fruit (freshness can’t be overrated)
Also keep in mind that many of these individuals don’t have the ability to perform regular dental hygiene. Homeless persons are 12 times more likely to have dental problems than stable housed individuals.
It takes little to nothing for your teeth to rot out, so make sure the items you are giving can actually be eaten.
4. Don’t avoid eye contact when you encounter a person experiencing homelessness
Instead…get to know them and enter into conversation
All too common for the homeless population is the experience of chronic isolation. This long-term absence of social contact and loneliness morphs into a type of toxic stress which only leads to increased risk for unhealthy outlets.
Most people experiencing homelessness are seen as invisible, and avoided by the public. This social response takes a toll on their mental health.
No one deserves to be treated as if they were invisible. No one deserves to be treated as if they were non-existent.
When you come in contact with a person who may be experiencing homelessness, challenge yourself to see them as who they are. A human with dignity and value.
Make eye contact, say hello, learn their name.
With so many individuals having a lack of community, or healthy community at that, your sincerity is invaluable.
Challenge the thought process that they “want” to be homeless. Perhaps the resources weren’t available to them when they were ready to get out of homelessness, so they gave up on themselves. Don’t allow yourself to give up on them, as well.
Build the relationship, and build the rapport. By just being there, talking to them and finding out what they need, trust will form and change can commence.
5. Don’t set them up for failure
Instead… make sure you understand all they need for success
Filling one-time immediate needs is definitely helpful, but when done in isolation it can lead to enabling homelessness rather than providing tools to get out of it.
No agency can be all things to all people. And even more so, no helper can be all things to a person experiencing homelessness.
Efforts to prevent loss of employment, substance abuse, non-adherence to healthcare instructions, and school absenteeism require community partners to increase positive outcomes in the homeless community.
With so many individuals having a lack of community, or healthy community at that, your sincerity is invaluable.
If a person experiencing homelessness receives support from the community, what happens when that support runs out? If they didn’t get everything they needed to remain successfully independent and get out of their situation, they become traumatized as if “they didn’t make it”. And in some ways, it becomes a systemic failure.
Just like all recovery programs, frequent support and meetings are needed to help people sustain the change.
Don’t just be a one and done, and wish them well – that’s one of the worst things you can do.
Denton County is fortunate to have an abundance of organizations that offer wrap around services such as healthcare, childcare, meals and utility assistance.
Get to know them, and what they offer. Become a bounty of information so you can fully support someone’s journey to long term sustainability. Don’t just give a fish, but learn to give a fishing pole.
Knowledge is power – for both you and them.
6. Don’t assume that people want to remain homeless because they are lazy
Instead… have an open mind
It’s easy to assume that all people experiencing homelessness are lazy. Maybe it’s easy because it takes the moral responsibility off of you. Maybe it’s easy because you can then turn the other cheek.
There’s a huge misconception that all homeless people are leeching off the system. But according to the 2020 Denton County Homelessness Report, 42% of individuals actually work while experiencing homelessness.
So let’s go deeper.
Of the 258 people who were surveyed in January, 36 individuals had full time employment, 46 individuals worked part time, and 28 stated they received income from other sources. Additionally, 39 people were on social security.
Scientifically, there are actual changes in the brain that occur around 3 months of a person experiencing homelessness. At that point, their minds shift from a state of disbelief of their current situation and to one of accepting the reality of where they are. When this acceptance, you’re dealing with a different individual, who might be changing the way they operate to accommodate that lifestyle.
By helping our neighbors, we are a better community for it.
And the longer the individual stays in that lifestyle, the harder it is to help them out of it.
So, that being said…
7. Don’t expect everyone else to do what you can do
Instead… take ownership and use your privileges to strengthen your community
Everybody assumes that somebody will take action, especially when anybody can do it. But more times than not, nobody does, so nothing gets done.
It’s important to look at what part you can play in ending homelessness.
It’s not up to everybody else to be an agent of change. It’s up to you to play a bigger role.
If you’re a landlord, can you have forgiveness for eviction history and help someone secure housing?
If you’re a business owner, can you provide an opportunity for financial gain that can help someone out of homelessness?
If you’re a banker, can you offer forgiveness accounts so someone with poor credit history can open a bank account?
If you’re a common folk, can you learn about your community, people and resources available to help be an agent of change?
It takes a community to help the community. But you can’t help the community until you know the community.
You care for your neighbors when they experience a loss. You create a meal plan for your neighbors when they have a baby. You have parties to celebrate your neighbor’s promotions.
But you have some neighbors who don’t live in a home at all.
Are they any different? They, too, deserve the care and support to help them be better. Also, know that there are plenty of resources in Denton County that can be utilized in the meantime.
And above all, be confident of this: by helping our neighbors, we are a better community for it.