09/26/2016
Im going to get my project back going again soon but I wanted to share this story now. I had a post earlier that made me want to make this statement.
Go be someones Christmas Candy
I have went out on the streets interviewing, and photographing the homeless. Most of them DO want a house or something more than a park bench, concrete sidewalk, or if they are lucky enough they may have a little tent somewhere but that don't do much when the temps drop below freezing and it starts snowing or raining.
I have came across a few that don't want a house too though. But those are usually the ones that you can tell right off that they have some kind of severe mental illness and really need to be somewhere better than a house where they can get the help they need.
And they hate the shelters. Everyone I talked to, said that they always have something in the shelters going around, scabies, lice, coughs and colds. They let the women and kids bathe first but it's cold water and then if they have time some of the men can but not always. Most of the time the men don't get to bathe there.
It's very sad to me to think that the people I'm talking about are someones daughter, brother, mother, father... a lot of them are veterans that served our country (and some of them ended up with PTSD), elderly people that can't fend for themselves but have no one and no money, children that can't help the situation they are in because of their parents, etc.
Its heartbreaking to go talk to them but at the same time, it's really an eye opener. I have so far, only encountered nice people who are just happy to have someone to talk to or sit and smoke a cigarette with or drink a cup of coffee with. They don't mind telling their story and it's amazing how many of them thank God, and say they are happy and blessed to have to clothes on their back and to wake up each day. They're a lot nicer, down to earth, sincere, thankful and good, than a lot of well off, upper class people I know.
They always thank me for talking with them, tell me where I can find them most of the time and invite me to come back anytime.
So please everyone, stop and say hi to some of the homeless. Take them a coffee and sit and talk with them while you have a coffee together. Just spend 5 minutes with them. But please don't ignore them and act like they aren't there. They are human. They are people. They have feelings and emotions just like you do.
And honestly, no one is far from being in that situation nowadays, things can change in an instant that could leave you with no where to go.
In the winter stop and buy a big pack of cheap winter gloves, or a big pack of socks, and go hand them out to the people in one of those areas where the homeless usually are in your area. Get the churches and other groups, to go out and take them something, and talk to them.
Yes, you need to BE CAREFUL, because not everyone is nice. Use you street smarts.Best bet is to stay in an area that has a lot of passerby's and even a lot of police. Just use common sense. If they look scary to you then go find someone else to talk to. And don't go wearing your expensive watch or jewelry, or anything like that, that would paint a target on you.
I had an experience where the guy looked a little scary and I was really own guard but I went ahead and talked to him. In no time he was laughing and cutting up, smiling, and even nicknamed me "Christmas Candy". Lol. I'm not sure why but yeah, he did. Lol. Later when I ran into him again, he had that mean look but when he seen me he changed back into that smile and yelled "Hey there Christmas Candy"
Go be someone's Christmas Candy
