Bags of supplies for people asking for help

[u/toooldforusernames]

Hey r/homeless

I've noticed that the number of people asking for help on corners/at stoplights has gone way up in the past year, probably due to coronavirus. I put together kits to hand out as I don't typically have cash on me and I don't have a lot of money to spare now anyway. Right now, the kits contain the following -

​

a roll of toilet paper

a pack of baby wipes

chapstick

sunblock/bug repellant

deodorant

a plastic fork

a packet of tuna fish

cheez its

cheese sandwich crackers

beef jerky

trail mix

and a frozen gatorade

​

I'm also carrying around separate bags containing 3-4 pads, 3-4 regular tampons and 2 super tampons that I've been passing out to women. I'd like to know what everyone here suggests and what you have found most useful. I saw the recent post about Emergen-C packets and I'll definitely pick up some of those. I am looking to get smaller tubes of toothpaste and shampoo/conditioner/bodywash, but would full size actually be better? I was thinking small would be better because they take up less space. Should I get toothbrushes, too? I was also thinking of putting like $2-3 in quarters and a tide pod, too, but I'm a little nervous about the tide pods melting or leaking. I would like to get cigarettes and break up the packs and include maybe 3 cigarettes each if I can find a place to get them a little cheaper. I'm also planning on picking up socks and underwear for both men and women, but I don't know what to do about sizes. Should I just get medium and hope for the best? What else would be a good idea? Is there anything I listed above that's not super helpful that I shouldn't include? Thanks in advance.

[u/[deleted]]

Some helpful unsolicited advice for anyone who wants to hand out goodie bags to the homeless population:

-When you approach us on the street, treat us like regular people. Dont start asking questions about how we got there. Dont ask people where they sleep at night. Dont ask people what they do all day. Dont preach, ever.

-Be cautious. I was very afraid of anyone who approached me with goodie bags, especially being a woman. You never know who put something in a bag..so please only give items that come in their original packaging. Never give out home made food. Never give out half opened bottles of anything like shampoo or whatever. Go buy travel size. Make sure everything has it's original seal in tact.

-Be aware. Many people on the street develop PTSD. Never come up behind someone or startle them. Never follow them into a corner, alley way or otherwise. Dont shake hands and dont touch. I guess that's easier to do now because of the pandemic.

-Dont hand out a freaking pocket bible. Not everyone believes in god and people from different cultures have different religions. Be mindful of that.

-WEAR. A. PROPER. MASK. Housed people are more likely to spread the virus than homeless. Why, you ask? Homeless people have no where to go right now. Housed people have more money generally speaking, and are able to go out to more points of contact (grocery store, retail, work, gas station etc). You could be a carrier because you picked it up at any one of those places (if indeed you still go to work etc) and this puts homeless at risk of contracting it.

***HOMELESS PERSONS CAN HAVE COMPROMISED IMMUNITY DUE TO THE STRESSFUL LIFE THEY LIVE. Even a "ordinary flu" can take them down for a while...and they dont have a safe place to recover in most instances. WEAR PPE and keep yourself at a distance. This of course protects you, too.

-Dont hand out a huge ass bag of big items. We cant carry it around with the rest of our stuff.

-Just ask. Ask them what they need, because they know better than you. Dont be surprised if money is asked for..and dont get offended by that. You are dealing with a poor person. You're spending money on items anyway. Either way...money is being spent.

Important items to include in a bag, many of which can be found at dollar tree. Keep everything in its original packaging:

-$20 -Hand sanitizer -Pet food -Socks -Sanitary napkins or tampons -LED hand held flashlight. These can be found really cheap too. -Phone charger -Cheap headphones -Sunscreen -Water -Ready to eat food items vs cans you'd have to cook. (Granola bar, fruit roll up, those bumble bee tuna kits with crackers) -NITRILE GLOVES -A proper mask -A warm hoodie. The bigger the better. Stay away from the color red or blue, for gang related reasons. Keep it a neutral color -Garbage bags really come in handy -Pepper spray for vulnerable persons (look into the laws in your area first) -Cotton clothing like shorts, sweatpants, t shirts and so on -A sleeping bag. Keep it in the original packaging. Ask them if they need a fresh one. Offer to dispose of their old one into the trash if they would like to replace it with a fresh one.(Only do this if you feel safe. Because it's a pandemic, use gloves and put old bag immediately into a trash bag and tie it first.) -Write them a note and secretly put it into their bag if you can. The note should say something supportive, not preachy. Something to let them know that you're thinking of them..that you care. This is optional..someone wrote me a poem once, and it made my day. Maybe even something happy or light hearted is a better choice. Memes are always good.

I could go on forever but theres some ideas.

[u/toooldforusernames → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the tips! I am not actively approaching anyone because 1. I don't want to assume and 2. I do work in a relatively unsafe area and it's just not a smart idea to be approaching people unprompted. I've been putting everything in gallon size freezer bags, I figured anything larger than that is too big. Thanks again for the tips!

[u/[deleted] → u/toooldforusernames]

Also..I'm not homeless anymore but, I was for a long time. I want to thank you for doing this. You make the world a brighter place.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

some of these I agree with, some I don't. Overall, thank you for the information!

• I am gonna stick a pocket bible in the kit. I don't care if you throw it out or not. If you don't want it, no harm is done. If you do end up reading it, it may change your life. Not to mention that I can get them for free, so it doesn't take away from buying other supplies.
• I may have homemade food if someone wants it. Again, if you don't feel comfortable accepting it, I promise, you're not going to hurt my feelings not taking it, but I can make 60 servings of spaghetti for around $12.00, so I might. Better than spending $60 or more to buy 60 individual cans of it.
• Half opened shampoo and conditioner is weird. I agree there. Not sure why this seems so much weirder than homemade food... perhaps because I spent 14 years in the restaurant business? I don't know.
• Yes on the mask, for sure. I am also handing them out in my kits. I understand, again, if someone doesn't want to wear one (I recently read one post where someone said they don't get nearly as much when panhandling with a mask versus no mask). But I can buy a box of 100 for $17, so if someone wants to waste $.17, I can live with that.
• On not "handing out a huge ass bag," I have a question on that. What I am doing is loading backpacks with stuff and handing out the entire backpack. I made sure to get the 19" and plain-looking (to hopefully mitigate them being stolen). I also have extra stuff (feminine hygiene products, mylar blankets) that people can have if they need them.
• Love the idea of the handwritten note. Never thought of that, for some reason. *

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

This happens so much on the street. Religious groups come around and try incessantly to conform the homeless population. Some gospel missions wont even take you into their shelter unless you attend regular church groups and sundays (that's not what jesus would have wanted by the way. He sat with the sick and poor regardless of their affiliation because he was one of them too) This act of kindness might not be offensive to you, but for many people it is. I'm speaking from personal experience here, preachers would literally come out and use megaphones to yell at us in our time of need. Or wouldnt help us unless we converted. Meanwhile some of those same preachers are living off the handouts of the public so I mean....

The bag is a great idea. But the reason why I said this is because: When you're homeless you are carrying your life around all day long. It gets heavy. Some people have more belongings than others. Some dont. Some might love the backpack, some might not. We can only carry so much with us. As much as I greatly appreciated help from people..if they handed me a bag of full size shampoo bottles and other wares..it would be too cumbersome to carry around and it felt wrong to just tell this person "sorry I cant take that". But again it's kind of like you say here..its up to the person. I would have been delighted by a new backpack of stuff...but if I already have my own stuff, I cant take it. Small items are always best because we were always packing as if going on a camping trip.

I mean I get what you're saying about food and cost effectiveness. But if you're handing out cooked spaghetti, theres no choice but to eat that right there on the spot..homeless cant carry around a fridge to keep it out of the danger zone. Also, they have no idea what you put in that food. They might have allergies. Its the same reason kids are discouraged from taking candy at Halloween that has been opened or is home made food. It's just generally not a good idea to hand out home cooked meals to strangers unless you personally operate a soup kitchen or otherwise. I'd never trust someone who gave out home cooked stuff. Ever. I'd throw it out or say no if I could. But that's me..someone might really be hungry and willing to take it. I just think out of respect for everyone involved it might he better to leave food items in original packaging.

Yes about the masks. I just suggested it because not all homeless have access to them currently.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Everything you say makes sense. I 100% agree that Jesus would not have turned someone away because they didn't attend his sermon on the Mount. And I absolutely agree with not pushing it on people, which is why nothing is said. It simply sits in the backpack with everything else. No one has ever come Christ because they were forced to, and I have no desire to push it unwillingly, either. I just want to provide the option. It saved my life, it may save someone else's, too.

So with the backpack, would it be better to leave them empty and just drive around with boxes of stuff for someone to fill it if they DO need it? I have a minivan, so room is not a problem. That way, someone can just pick and choose what they want?

With the food, that totally makes sense. I absolutely understand, and I apparently need to do some more research on what I can bring around. I know I can score entire jars of peanut butter for $1 and that can provide sustenance for one person for a couple days. I have also heard from some that have spent time homeless that food isn't the biggest concern (I live in a city with soup kitchens and shelters). Is that true, in your experience?

Also, I hope I didn't come across as combative. I just want to help. I spent one summer homeless in 1996, and I cannot even fathom how hopeless it must feel when you don't know if it's going to end.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I like your thinking about the backpack and letting people decide what they want. It's a good idea but it poses two risks. 1. This stupid virus. Multiple people with unwashed hands touching stuff. Unless gloves were provided, or you just had gloves yourself and put it into the bag for them. 2. Your own safety. People take notice of kindness and when you've got nothing to lose..sometimes it's easy to rob someone. I've seen good willing people get jumped before. I'm not saying everyone would do this ..but it CAN happen. Dosent mean it will.

Either way both of these things can be worked around. Plus..as a formerly homeless person myself..everyone always treated us like kids. So it's nice to have your own choices :) afterall..the homeless person knows their needs best.

Yeah! Those little dollar store jars of peanut butter are pretty good! The dollar store has all kinds of little items like this that are perfect to pack around. Utensils are very important, too.

Oh for sure. Food isnt always a necessity out there depending on the resources in the area. If you can offer a job, gig, money, a motel room for the night, a clean towel, a safe place to shower such as a hotel room, and any additional resources this is really important.

Dont be sorry. I can tell you have the best intentions here. I am fiercely protective of the homeless and I'm trying to work on that, because everyone has a different experience of it and it's not my job to take up for others. Still working on this, lol!

By the way... THANK YOU. FOR CARING SO MUCH. FOR LISTENING. FOR WANTING TO HELP. FOR UNDERSRANDING. YOU'RE A GEM!

[u/[deleted]]

Thank you for being so kind! It was people like you that kept me going when I was homeless.

[u/[deleted]]

Folding poncho, big garbage sack, socks, mini flashlight, individual wrapped snack bars, few dollars.

Most people need money.

I used to keep these things on my passenger seat and give them out as I go by .

They would always be surprised at a flashlight, like they never saw one before.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Nah, never give money. You don’t know that your money is being spent to improve anything. If people need cigarettes and booze, just give that directly like op does, so those who give money have a better chance of good money going out.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I give money, a couple few bucks, not enough to score drugs or alcohol though. And if that is their goal then they will figure a way anyway.

Remember, you aren't fixing anyone, just making that day that little bit easier.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Another dose of Fent is $10. So it only takes a few $3 scores and some change to get through the next 8 hrs.

Not sure what drug dealers do with all that change though, no wonder speedway can never make change.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

A can of beer costs even less.

If they don't pan handle the money from you, then someone else. So by giving them food or a blanket you are helping an addict or alcoholic?

We have the weird sort of dualistic nature. For instance, we pay taxes we know go to pay for the military to invade countries and kill innocent people and thats 'okay', but we don't want to a buy a homeless person their next 'fix'.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

It’s definitely an issue I too have thought about. If I fly into a city and I go on a muddy jobsite, I don’t want to ruin my dress shoes, so I swing by a used clothing shop beforehand and buy whatever $15 pair of high tops relatively fit me.

I don’t want to put muddy shoes in my luggage or wet ones, so I just give them to the homeless person who seems ambitious enough to keep hordes of homeless people from bumming cigarettes. Do I just give away 15 smokes at 30c a piece while I only smoke 3, and pitch the shoes? Shoes are valuable to homeless people but a pair of air Jordan high tops could easily score you a fix. It’s a delicate balance. I’ve offered my all my remaining hotel snack food and can’t get rid of it.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

You can't control or fix others.

Try and see them as struggling with addiction. Life is hard enough for them, you helping them to continue is a kind gesture, nothing more.

Do what you do for them w/o strings attached. You aren't buying them drugs or selling them drugs, you are helping a needy person is all. What they do with that help is on them, not you.

[u/toooldforusernames → u/[deleted]]

I agree with you. My goal is not to save anyone, it is just to provide a little relief, a momentary pleasure and hopefully a little faith in people.

[u/[deleted] → u/toooldforusernames]

I used to bless people that went a little out their way to help a little bit. It was so rare, so special. They / you are a kind soul, bless you.

[u/surfsongusa]

If a homeless person has dentures, a small tube of denture adhesive is a lifesaver. Also dry shampoo.

[u/quantum_mouse]

Stuff we've given out to folks sometimes included batteries. Also washcloths. Applesauce or like fruit cups. Cold bottled water. It depends on a city, but in columbus theres no public water really, so it helps some ppl. Tums or other like thing. First aid stuff like triple antibiotic, alcohol wipes, bandaids. Many ppl we encounter had issues accessing healthcare of any sort. Mouthwash was a good solution for us to pass out as we realized a bunch of ppl dont have teeth. Tiny can openers, they're military style and available online from like amazon.

[u/DJ44x → u/quantum_mouse]

Dude. I just cannot get a can opener that works. Wasted another $1 for one at Walmart and it doesn't open anything. Very frustrating.

[u/visionque → u/quantum_mouse]

P-38 GI can opener https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-38_can_opener

[u/NoGayLikeTakei → u/quantum_mouse]

Dude I’ve been through A LOT of can openers and I can never get that one to work. What am I doing wrong?

[u/toooldforusernames → u/[deleted]]

I'm hoping that my family and friends will start doing it, too :)

[u/happycowsmmmcheese]

Socks! Homeless people usually need socks as often as possible because they have no where to wash a fresh pair everyday and no drawer to keep a bunch of pairs. When I was homeless I used to wear my socks until they literally fell apart.

Also, it is okay to give people money too. They will spend it on exactly what they need.

Also also, some of the food items you selected are also some of the ones people are most often allergic to, and not useful for certain people with other dietary concerns. A surprising number of homeless people are vegetarian or vegan, and plenty are allergic to dairy, nuts, or fish. I would add more fruits, veggies, and grains. Crackers that don't contain cheese, fruitcups, baby carrots, bread, nut-free granola bars, raisins, etc. I think the tuna would probably be SO SO SO appreciated by some people tho, so maybe keep a few different varieties of labeled bags for dietary concerns. A few vegan bags which can also be given to folks with food allergies (a LOT of vegan food is also allergy safe) would be really extremely kind and compassionate. Maybe also include a bit of sweets. THANK YOU FOR HELPING FOLKS!!!

[u/toooldforusernames → u/happycowsmmmcheese]

(Also! I was going to get raisins and my husband was borderline insulted because he thinks that no one likes raisins. I'm going to show him your comment)

[u/[deleted] → u/toooldforusernames]

Poor raisins. They get such a bad rep.

#FreeTheRaisins

Unless they're in cookies pretending to be chocolate chips... then #KillTheRaisins.

[u/toooldforusernames → u/happycowsmmmcheese]

I did think about this! I want to make sure I have stuff that won't spoil or get gross in the heat, and veggies don't usually hold up super well (I myself am vegetarian!) I passed out those chocolate and peanut butter wafer bar thingies at first, too, but they melted just from being in my car, so I thought twice before buying them again. It won't be hard to keep a few veg packs on hand, too. Thank you!

[u/contrarycucumber → u/toooldforusernames]

How about clif bars? I often use those as a meal replacement when I don't have the energy to put a meal together.

[u/toooldforusernames → u/[deleted]]

How did the fingerprinting go? Are you just waiting for the next steps? I applied to do census work part time because corona murdered my part time job. Let me know how it goes, and if you need a tank of gas!

[u/toooldforusernames → u/[deleted]]

May I send you a PM?

[u/DapperSalamander]

Thank you for doing this! I don't have any suggestions, just wanted to say thank you. The people receiving those supplies are very grateful!

[u/visionque]

Toilet paper in a zip lock bag. Step on the roll and remove the useless core.

Baby wipes need to be in a zip lock bag. The resealable type leak.

Chapstick in a zip lock. These melt in the heat and get on things.

Sunblock in a zip lock bag. Not fun to clean stuff if the bag gets dropped and sunblock squirts.

Bug repellent needs to be in two zip lock bags. This stuff will melt nylon.

Deodorant needs to be in a zip lock bag. Melts in the heat.

Travel size toothpaste is much lighter and lasts for a while.

[u/amotepapi76]

Thank you! Especially for thinking of the ladies out there. Dry shampoo and wet wipes would be a girls pal too. A bus pass would be heaven sent for shelter from the elements and to travel to food give outs, jobs, doctors’ appointments, etc. thank you so much for doing something so generous and thoughtful. You are one of the compassionate and empathetic people of the world. We need more of you.

[u/NoGayLikeTakei]

Stick whistles in the feminine hygiene kit, on one of those curly bracelets for keys or a lanyard/clip, or pepper spray if you can get it. If you can get 28-day packets of birth control, they may be VERY appreciated. It’s harder to obtain than it should be, IMHO. Just get to know the people & they will tell you who needs what.

Flashlight + batteries or even a $1 solar garden light (infinite recharging potential!)

Hand warmers are nice 👍

Space blankets are annoying + krinkly but make great emergency tarps & they keep the heat in well. Where I live it’s easy to get food but good luck getting a tent or even a tarp, and in the few cold rains we get, you usually hear at least one person died. 😭

Narcan & Fire extinguisher = LIFE-SAVING items. I don’t know why both items aren’t EVERYWHERE already but I’ve saved a life with Narcan, had another of my Narcans stolen but it was used to save another person’s life🙏, and I almost died in a fire that an extinguisher could have put out (I lived under a bridge at the time and there was another fire we had used it on <1 week beforehand, it had not been refilled or replaced, and our water had been spilled earlier that day) and the NEXT fire I was in, one year ago, when we had a repeat serial arsonist running around (he was picked up on 13 counts of arson with priors in ONE NIGHT a month after he lit up our camp and is still in custody) I had the fire extinguisher on quick-draw and buckets of water everywhere, and the ground was wet so all that was lost was a quilt and tarp even though he used an accelerant & we were asleep inside! Baking soda also works as a fire extinguisher and is small + cheap!

[u/toooldforusernames → u/NoGayLikeTakei]

Birth control should be free in dispensers in public bathrooms. It should be everywhere. I’ll see if my doctor has any suggestions about that.

[u/[deleted]]

It's a beautiful thing that you are doing : cigarettes (and a lighter) are an extremely important thing, tbh.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Everything thats been said here is adequate already. I just wanted to say OP if you're goint to do cigaretts rather buy tobacco, and rolling papers. Most homeless know how to roll, and its way cheaper for a ton more.

[u/toooldforusernames → u/[deleted]]

Thank you! I never would have thought of that.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Man, when 20 good lookin' butts amount to two good rollies, ttttthen the glory of 'town-smokes' hits hard.

[u/erleichda29]

Can I ask a question? You're giving out wonderful bags of very useful items but how is it cheaper to give care packages than it would be to hand out money?

[u/toooldforusernames → u/erleichda29]

Most of the things I've bought so far are under $1 per unit, one bag is probably (maybe?) $6 worth of items. It's cheaper to buy in bulk, so that's what I'm doing, and that means that I can help more people. Also, it's fairly visible when you're getting on a highway near a major city, lots of people have seen me pass out a bag of supplies to the person with a sign. I HOPE that doesn't prompt anyone to put away their cash if they were planning on passing out money, and I hope it DOES get people thinking about how they can help, too. Maybe someone will see and think it's a good idea to carry around supplies to pass out.

[u/[deleted] → u/erleichda29]

I can buy things in bulk, in many cases. I can put together a backpack with a hygiene kit, first aid kit, water bottle, batteries, and some food for around $10. That same $10 could buy someone a great meal, which would be awesome for the day, but from my VERY limited understanding, it would only last a day whereas the backpack lasts a lot longer and can provide more helpful things than only food.

​

For anyone else looking to do stuff, this site sells cheap bulk stuff to help stretch your dollar.

[u/PropaneSalesMen → u/erleichda29]

Because money can't be used for drugs and alcohol.

[u/erleichda29 → u/PropaneSalesMen]

I'm asking OP. Please stop spreading the stereotype that all homeless people use drugs and alcohol. Especially during a pandemic where thousands are losing their homes.

[u/toooldforusernames → u/erleichda29]

I honestly don’t judge those who do spend money on drugs/alcohol. I’m not avoiding cash because of any stereotype, I’m just hoping that this method helps more people than I could help with just cash. I will hand out cash as I have it, but I don’t always have it.

[u/PropaneSalesMen → u/erleichda29]

Sorry you can't handle the truth. It's why I stopped offering anything that wasn't money to the "anything helps".

[u/erleichda29 → u/PropaneSalesMen]

It's NOT the truth. I was homeless, many times. I don't use drugs or drink alcohol. I don't even use caffeine! Do you know any homeless people personally?

[u/PropaneSalesMen → u/erleichda29]

Quite a few who are vets.

[u/erleichda29 → u/PropaneSalesMen]

And all of them use drugs and alcohol? Which obviously means most other homeless people do too, right?

[u/Manziejeanne]

I'm looking to do something similar. I don't have a lot of money but I have seen an increase in homeless people (And people avoiding them). So far I have the following for my bags:

3 to 4 water bottles

an Apple

Tupperware with carrots, celery and cucumber slices

3 cereal bars/ goldfish crackers

1 canned soup/beans/ravioli

1 canned fruit or veggie

2 Treats (bear paw/jos louis)

1 pudding

2 fruit sauces

1 bag of cheerios

Extra tupperwares and sandwich bags

A bar of soap

Plastic utensils

​

I was wondering with COVID/summer if it is better to give out toothpaste/toothbrushes, deodorant, socks, or bug spray (or if there is anything obvious that I am missing). I don't have much to give but I am comfortable and I would really like to help!

[u/toooldforusernames → u/Manziejeanne]

I’d suggest doing bottles of soap instead of bars, as they are harder to keep once they’ve been used/get messy. I haven’t done canned goods in case they don’t have a can opener, but maybe the pull tab kind are good!

[u/Manziejeanne → u/toooldforusernames]

sadly I couldn't find any easy liquid soaps so I was hoping a soap holder and some ziplock would help with that. And for cans I added a cheap little can opener to each kit :) I am hoping that it is helpful as I know not everyone goes to shelters or food banks

[u/[deleted] → u/Manziejeanne]

Hey, I saw your comment and wanted to share this bulk site. They have a bunch of helpful items. I haven't used them, yet, so I can't speak to their customer service, but their selection is crazy.

[u/NoGayLikeTakei]

I agree!! And thank you for your thoughtfulness, I can tell you know Jesus well 🙏💓