50 Ways To Help The Homeless

Kim Smith, IYN's Chairman of Online Operations has shared a very worthwhile list of ideas for helping the homeless. Take note (upon reading #9) that IYN actually has a campaign called Change For Change that is the brainchild of Cindy Colburn.

I've written elsewhere that Cindy is:
"a very sweet and caring woman who is about five years my junior (I'm 56) but, due to health problems, is the resident of a California nursing home. Much of her monthly disability check goes towards her room, board, and care, and she's left with about $20 or $30 for her own personal pleasure--part of that being helping our kids. She knows that she can't take on the world to raise--and who can!?!--but that a little change saved here and a little change saved there can make a mighty difference when it gets pooled with other loose change."

Now--without any further ado--let's check out Kim's amazing list...

50 WAYS TO HELP THE HOMELESS

1. Understand who the homeless are
2. Educate yourself about the homeless
3. Respect the homeless as individuals
4. Respond with kindness and a smile
5. Carry fast food certificates
6. Develop lists of shelters and advocacy agencies.
7. Publish information for the homeless in free newspapers
8. Bring food
9. Give money-Change for Change
10. Give proceeds from a yard/craft/bake sale
11. Give clothing
12. Give toys
13. Give hygiene suppllies
14. Volunteer at a shelter
15. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
16. Volunteer professional skills
17. Volunteer your hobbies
18. Join a mentoring program
19. Tutor homeless children
20. Take a homeless kid to lunch
21. Organize a thrift shop
22. Volunteer at battered women's shelters
23. Volunteer job training
24. Teach about the homeless
25. Enlist community organizations as advocates
26. Educate your children about the homeless
27. Organize school groups to help the homeless
28. Recruit local businesses
29. Ask your clergy to help
30. Get donations form your congregations
31. Organize a street party for the homeless
32. Invite the homeless to church
33. Organize free day care services
34. Collect toys and games for donations
35. Prepare food and gift baskets
36. Donate admissions form an event
37. Take a homeless kid to a movie
38. Take your kids to play with children in a shelter
39. Start a Second Harvest Program
40. Employ the homeless
41. Help the homeless apply for aid
42. Stand up for the civil rights of the homeless
43. Join Habitat for Humanity
44. Form a transitional housing program
45. Apply for grants
46. Contact govt. representatives
47. Push for state homeless prevention programs
48. Bring the children school supplies
49. Pray for them
50. Send us your ideas