What can I do to benefit my community? (New Years resolution time!)

[ctroutnerrun]

As a regular joe shmoe, how can I get involved in helping out my/our communities? I can't really afford to donate $$$ to charities/ the homeless (I got rent, bills, and soon fines to pay :(!), but what I do have is time, and a working brain and body. Suggestions?

[motorman4life]

As for helping the homeless.. I don't want to discourage anyone from giving time or money to any program, but I have to say, in my experience, there are a lot of so-called homeless that WANT to be homeless. When we were kids, we called them hobos. Now they are called homeless. If you gave them a job and a house, they would not go to work and create a fulfilling life, they would piss it all away. There are a lot of people that, for many various reasons, don't want the responsibility of the lives we choose to lead. Many of them will try to play on sympathies, because it benefits them, but they consider us idiots for saddling ourselves with the burden of responsibility and participating in what they see as a silly "rat race." To them, we are all "rubes" for dealing with the 9 to 5 grind, paying mortgages/rent, taxes and bills. They don't mind that we throw them a few bucks now and again, but they would not even last a week in your shoes, even if you gave them everything you had.

I'm not talking about the working poor or young couples with kids, living in a car and seeking gainful employment.. for the most part, those are truly homeless people. People that want a home and would do everything in their power to keep and maintain one. They are out there and often they are out there after a series of bad luck and/or bad decisions and are seeking to improve their life and that of the ones they love. But, in my experience, they are the overwhelming minority among the vast number of bums you see panhandling, standing on corners with signs, sleeping in doorways or parks and shuffling around UN plaza or downtown Berkeley. Yes, there is a degree of mental illness at play too.. some are ill-prepared to handle the responsibilities of life, but for the most part, we are talking about winos and addicts that have chosen a lifestyle and have no intention of changing their lives for the better, no matter what opportunities they are given. They enjoy their buddies, their drug(s) of choice, their responsibility-free lifestyle and of course, they enjoy the irony of being subsidized by the buffoons that work so hard to pay taxes and seek to maintain or obtain that white picket fence.

BACK ON TOPIC:
As for what you can do to help out in your community. You may want to offer your services to meals on wheels (http://www.volunteerinfo.org/meal-gen.htm), donate blood (look into apheresis) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plateletpheresis) at your local blood bank, consider being a big brother (http://www.bbbs.org/).

Check out those links and maybe check out this page.. http://www.volunteerinfo.org/

Even an everyday Joe-Schmoe can be a hero. After many years of donating blood every 6 weeks, I was turned on to plateletpheresis (AKA: apheresis) by a nurse that saw me there regularly. I had donated blood for many years (since I was in the Army) and I found it very fulfilling. Unlike blood donation, that often leaves you feeling weak afterward, apheresis actually leaves you feeling much better as they skim off impurities and toxins from your blood in the process. It takes 45 minutes to an hour, once a month and is the equivalent to donating 16 pints of whole blood at each sitting. It has an effect on clotting for about 36 to 48 hours, but we all shed platelets naturally and your body compensates very quickly. The real benefit is, once you are matched to a cancer patient, the platelets you provide are less likely to be rejected (vs. a dose made up from 16 donors) and their body adapts to your chemistry. It really improves their quality of life and boosts their immune system. I could go on and on. Suffice to say, if you are looking to use your health body to help others, this is a no-brainer.

Go in to the local blood bank and ask them about apheresis. If you are in a “shortage group” you could also get added to the bone marrow registry.

Best of luck in fulfilling your New Year’s resolution and let us know how it goes.

[ctroutnerrun]

Thanks for the links! That last one has ALOT of different organizations listed, should be able to find something that will work with my schedule. As far as giving blood, you couldn't have picked something worse, I'm the biggest pussy in the world when it comes to needles :laughing:twofinger. Kudos for anyone that can do it, but the only way I could give blood is if they agreed to knock me out first.
As for the homeless, I unfortunately agree with you. I'd LIKE to think that each homeless person just needs a chance, someone to help them through a rough time, get their feet back on the ground, ect. But the reality as I have seen it is exactly as you have described. Little encounter I had about two years ago-
I had just gotten off BART at Powell St., going out to visit my mom, and I'm in a really good mood (pretty sure I had just gotten laid :teeth) Anyways, I see this older guy kind of slowly shufflle up from sitting against a pillar and start hobbling over in my direction (the bart station was pretty empty at the time) I already new he was going to ask for money, and I've always been back and forth on the giving money to bums issue. (Bums specifically, not all homeless) I use to give change occasionally, depending on my mood/ the individual, But this night I thought "I'm gonna really suprise this guy", and when he walked up and asked, "do you have any money you can spare?" I smiled, said "here you go!":thumbup:) and handed him a ten,(I have never given more then a dollar or two away before) waiting to see what I assumed would be a suprised, confused, or at least happy look on his face. Without missing a beat or so much as blinking, he looked at me blank-faced and said "do you think I could have a couple more bucks? I wanted to get a steak toinght.":wow:shocker:wtf Now I'd like write about how I snatched the ten from his grimy hand and said some remark about how badly he had fucked that up for himself, but all I did was stand there with my jaw hanging open in disbelief, and mutter, "um, no, bro" to get a very sarcastic "oh,.. well, thanks,.... BRO" I didn't let this one incident make me feel that this is how all homeless people are, but It's a pretty rare thing to see me give money away now.

And for anyone out there that might think MM4L and I are a couple of unempathetic assholes, instead of giving the next homeless person you see your money, offer to buy a jacket from goodwill, a sandwich, some dog food for the poor fucking dog they use for sympathy, anything that doesn't involve your money going directly into thier pocket, and it can show you who truly appreciates your help, and who just wants your hard-earned cash.
I'm definetley more interested in helping the sick, needy, and those going through a rough time in thier life over those who willingly choose to be nothing more then a drain on society.

[1sicv8]

do u have a cage? sign up to be a DD for people. keep the drunks off the street

other then that, pick a social issue u feel strong about and help out that. it could be homeless, poverty, kids who need mentors, etc....

[motorman4life]

As for the homeless, I unfortunately agree with you. ...But the reality as I have seen it is exactly as you have described. Little encounter I had about two years ago....
1988: Back when I was in the Army, making about $250 a week, I was stationed on the Presidio and I recall being down on Van Ness on a date and there was a homeless guy sitting out in front of Taco Bell near where the Metreon is now. He had a dog and a sign that said, "Need change for food" or something similar. We went in to get some food before the movie and I bought 2 extra tacos and on my way out, I bent over and handed him the bag with the 2 tacos. He looked at the bag, then looked at me. He had this shocked look and said, "What the fuck is this?" I replied, "tacos." He stood up and started swearing at me, then he threw the bag in the street. The girl I was with picked it up and we walked down about a 1/2 block at there was a woman sitting on the curb with a kid. She had a sign also. Something like, "domestic abuse victim" or whatever. She gave the bag to the woman and she thanked us, then asked for some cash. I just shook my head and walked away.

I've met a lot of so-called homeless since then and I've had a chance to speak with them about their choices and the attitudes they have about "us" (the people they seek alms from). I can just say that I have learned that in most cases, they have an outrageous sense of entitlement that I personally find both shocking and appalling. I have learned that apart from a few exceptions, these are people that have made bad choices and they are not willing to change (make the changes necessary) or adapt to society. As I stated previously, yes, there is a degree of mental illness and I will not argue that some of these people would be institutionalized otherwise. My point is, I feel bad for the truly homeless; those that need and want a home and would make the sacrifices necessary to improve their life and maintain a standard of living, if given the opportunity. I do not feel bad for those that we euphemistically CALL homeless; those manipulative parasites, getting by on the fringes of society and prefer their pseudo-Bohemian lifestyle, that will try to “guilt” hardworking people into subsidizing their downward spiral as they wallow in their drug and alcohol abuse.

[ctroutnerrun]

do u have a cage? sign up to be a DD for people. keep the drunks off the street

I do have a car, and even though I would love to help get the drunkards off the road, I don't necessarily want their loud, obnoxious asses vomiting in it! :barf :blah :bigbarf

As I stated previously, yes, there is a degree of mental illness and I will not argue that some of these people would be institutionalized otherwise

I don't know if it's just me, but for some reason, alot of these people (thankfully, it seems all the non-violent ones) seem to think they know me from somewhere, usually a past life or something else :wtf:laughing. I usually enjoy having conversations with these people, as they rarely ask me for money, being way to busy informing me about either top-secret government info, the end of the world, or just how my ora is doing!:laughing

[Dove]

I do not feel bad for those that we euphemistically CALL homeless; those manipulative parasites, getting by on the fringes of society and prefer their pseudo-Bohemian lifestyle, that will try to “guilt” hardworking people into subsidizing their downward spiral as they wallow in their drug and alcohol abuse.


When I first moved to SF - I made note of all the "homeless" and thought...me being the horrible leftovers eater that I am (never happens no matter how hard I try) - I'll simply take all of my leftovers when I eat out and drop them off in the "homeless's" hands on my way home. That worked 1 time. Every other time I've been asked for money and they refused the food. I dunno, I just dunno sometimes. :dunno

[JPM]

When I first moved to SF - I made note of all the "homeless" and thought...me being the horrible leftovers eater that I am (never happens no matter how hard I try) - I'll simply take all of my leftovers when I eat out and drop them off in the "homeless's" hands on my way home. That worked 1 time. Every other time I've been asked for money and they refused the food. I dunno, I just dunno sometimes. :dunno

Hand 'em a bottle of booze and see if they refuse that! :staRang Big difference between the homeless and an oxygen thief.

[beaker]

There was an article years ago in the Merc about how the 'homeless' with the cardboard signs by the freeway exits were making $17/hr in handouts.

[Mad Mac]

There are groups in every city that helps homeless. Shelters and such. I once knew a family that donated used cloths to a shelter for women and children. It was very much needed as well as appreciated. Giving money just buys there next bottle or worst, there drug of choice. Adopt a highway is another thing that is much needed as well. Makes you feel pretty good to clean up our mother earth of the trash left on the sides of the road. Shopping for folks unable to drive or get to a store is also another self satisfying service. It's a win win proposition for you as well as the person in need of some help. I am sure you will find your niche.