I got into my head the idea of assembling a bag of things to give a homeless person. Other people do this. Like when someone’s begging at an intersection with a cardboard sign.
I was thinking what to put in the bag. I did some brainstorming and crossing things out and finally came up with a good list.
4 wet wipes
hand sanitizer little bottle
toothcare kit
plastic bag
plastic spoons
applesauce
pudding cup
banana
peanut butter mini
soup can with pop top, not condensed
hard candy
water bottle
note with cash
I thought maybe I should have a meat snack, since people like that. I realized jerky would be too hard to chew for a lot of people who have bad teeth. I decided this stuff I have is plenty and I don’t want to support the meat industry. I tried to choose soft foods for the people with tooth trouble.
Most of this I can get for free. Banana, wet wipes, and pudding cup are all I need to buy, really. I think I’ll put $2 with the note. So it should be pretty inexpensive. A banana is 19 cents, individually wrapped wet wipes are around 7 cents each, and a pudding cup is 25 cents.
I’ll try it out and let you know how it goes. Maybe for my birthday I can ask for that kind of stuff. I don’t want to store a ton of it–we have too much stuff in our house already. But I think it’s good to try to help.
7 replies on “helpful bag idea”
I think these are a good idea.
Maybe instead of cash you could give a Starbucks voucher.
a pen and some paper might be a good idea.
Have to go
what about a box of pop tarts?
hey, thanks for your thoughts. what's the benefit of the starbux card? poptarts, hmm.
Well I always think if I was homeless if I could get $3 together I could go in Starbucks and buy a latte. Usually Starbucks are comfortable and some open till midnight.
You could also provide a list of places that are open 24 hrs a day. Like diners.
I don’t think it’s practical but enough money for a greyhound ticket could get them back to family out of state.
A yo yo.
She-ra doll.
A torch.
Hmmm.
You're a good person, but you know? There was a guy who stood in the street near our house every day for a couple of yrs, begging for money. I watched him and every person who gave him money gave him paper money and I realized that even if they only gave him $1, he was earning more in an hour than I did at my job! I do what you do and give food or something else. We bought a gift certificate to Denny's for a mother and her young daughter who were standing outside the restaurant, in the rain, asking for money. I looked in the mirror after we left and she shoved the certificate in her pocket and continued begging, Sometimes I think people are genuinely in need and sometimes have just learned how to work the system.
hey, thanks for your comment. I don't mind much if they're working the system. I don't think working a regular job is a required thing. I'm disabled and don't work a regular job, tho I volunteer a lot. while it's raining, they probably get a lot more money begging, so it makes sense to keep begging if they can, maybe, so they can beg less later when it's sunny. then again, the kid being in the rain might have been uncomfortable. the kid complicates things. I think, it's late stage capitalism–whatever they're doing to get by, I'm not going to begrudge, as long as they're not really hurting anyone. then again, I'd rather give food, especially since I have access to a pantry and can get some of it for free.
In Tibetan Buddhism it’s considered that giving alms can benefit your deceased loved ones.
I also think being poor is expensive (if you see what I mean).
I’m enjoying all the comments.
L