Care Bag for the Homeless

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Guess where I got the idea to make “care bags” for the homeless–you guessed—Pinterest!

I went to Sam’s and bought most of the individually wrapped food items and to Wal-Mart  for the personal care items.  I plan on giving a pack to friends and family to keep in their cars for when the opportunity presents itself.  In warmer months, people will be standing at certain intersections with signs…but I haven’t seen any lately.

Here’s a photo of the finished pack…

I’ve done a variety of volunteer work in the past…ranging from babysitting abused women’s babies who are living in shelters…tutoring children…pouring sodas at a Cincinnati Charity…serving Hors d’oeuvre at a fundraiser…chaperoning kids at a church sponsored church event, helping to sort food at the Free Store Food Bank, delivering Christmas (tree, food, presents) to a deserving family in Over-the-Rhine area in Cincinnati, etc. etc.

There are so many charities…it’s difficult to decide which ones to get involved with.  But I’ve been drawn to the homeless people lately.  Perhaps my recent visit to San Francisco where there are a lot of homeless has sparked this interest.

Now to find the homeless people.  I live in a suburb…but I know what areas I need to go to…to find them.  I don’t like to give them money in case they have a drug or alcohol issue.

I believe most of us can’t imagine what it would be like to live on the streets (especially in the cold) and have people pass by us without even acknowledging our existence.  Stray dogs get more attention.  It’s quite appalling.  I know that many of them have a drug or alcohol dependence, but they didn’t start off saying…I think I want to grow up to be a “drug addict”!

I’ll do what I can…when I can.  Peace to all!!

18 thoughts on “Care Bag for the Homeless”

  4. Hi Sherry, I discovered your blog via someone else’s blogroll. I often read one or two new blogs every week and I found yours today and really enjoyed your post on helping homeless people and your bio page. I also have an interest in helping homeless people. (I am not hitting on you for money so please do not think this is where this comment is going OK?) But I live in Gloucester in the UK and I am running in this years London Marathon and I am raising money for the charity shelter. They help everyone from the person sleeping ‘rough’ on the street to famillies who have got into financial difficulty and had their homes re-possessed. We also do similar help packages as the brilliant idea you had in your post. I will drop back again and read more you have had a very interesting life. If you want to know more about me then please stop by my blog. If you would like we could add each other’s blogs to our respctive blogroll’s I would be happy to oblige if you want to? Just let me know. Have a great day.
    Tony 🙂

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  8. Awesome work! I wrote an article on my blog about picking up trash as we walk. I mentioned about how the government could start a program paying the homeless per bag for picking up trash. That would be thousands of people picking up trash and they would be earning money for keeping our cities clean. You should read it at http://www.stevoscafe.com

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  10. Even if someone does have an addiction, they’re still people and they need help. There’s always some emotional hurt feeding that addiction, and I think that’s the saddest thing.

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  11. Great idea. It does help to have things handy to share–and not just money. One area where some of the homeless sit in my area is at an intersection near several fast food places. Sometimes I drive out and pick up an order to hand off, but I also keep gift cards to the fast food places handy to give out.. Bottles of water are helpful too. And some small items or bags of food for dogs, for those who travel with a companion.Wouldn’t it be great if we all resolved to be kinder and more helpful in the new year?

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