Free Clean, Dry Used Clothes
One of the things that has made my life bearable is people stopping their cars to give me free used clothing in cold, wet weather. They either were giving me and my sons something warmer than what we were wearing because it was cold or they were just giving us warm, dry clothes because it had rained and we were soaked and it was cold. Changing in to clean, dry clothes is potentially life-saving for a homeless person in cold weather.
I specify used clothing because one woman pretty obviously had bought us new jackets, socks and other stuff. Well, I don't have any means to wash my clothes and I don't have a place to hang things up and put them away. I don't have separate sleep clothes.
I sleep in my street clothes and, in fact, I need a jacket much more at night to stay warm enough to sleep deeply than I do during the day. During the day, if I am outside, I am usually walking somewhere. If it is above 40 degrees and the wind is not too bitter, I am in little danger of dying from hypothermia as walking generates heat. But, temps drop at night and inactivity/sleep drops your body temperature and laying on cold ground can really suck the heat out of you.
So, like a lot of homeless people, if I get new clothes, I usually just trash the old ones. Unlike most homeless people, due to my medical condition, I will toss my clothes because they have gotten too germy and grimy and are actively making me ill.
So, I didn't have these new items very long -- maybe two or three weeks -- when I felt compelled to trash them. I both felt bad and worried that either she would be judgey about what I had done and never do anything for me again because of it or that she would confront me about it.
She never confronted me, but I didn't get help from her again. So it is possible she saw me a few weeks later without the jacket and felt like I had pissed away her gift.
Nothing could be further from the truth, but my life is just not like that of someone with a home. I have to make choices that are the least worst outcome for me under very challenging circumstances.
So, overall, as long as it is clean, thus not a threat to my health, I would much rather have used clothes given to me for free. I am not trying to impress anyone or go to a job interview or social climb. I am just trying to survive while trying to work out very serious personal problems. Used clothing is something that I am more comfortable with accepting and I see no reason for you to spend big bucks of your hard earned money on new clothes for me.
Besides, if you can afford to spend that kind of money on me, I would rather you give me the cash and let me decide how to spend it. I know my needs and preferences better than you. It is kind of insulting for you to go spend big money on me without knowing me but clearly presuming that you know better than I do what I need.
So, especially on cold, wet winter days, a free jacket, sweat shirt, sweat pants or entire outfit can be a huge help to someone on the street. You can just get something out of your closet that you no longer wear, toss it in the car and offer it to someone who looks homeless.
Just ask if they want it. Don't pry. Don't ask them if they are homeless or what their name is or whatever. If you have made a mistake and it is a nonhomeless individual who has no need of it, they can just look puzzled and tell you no. Then you can drive away, no big deal, and offer it to someone else who seems to be in need of it.
I specify used clothing because one woman pretty obviously had bought us new jackets, socks and other stuff. Well, I don't have any means to wash my clothes and I don't have a place to hang things up and put them away. I don't have separate sleep clothes.
I sleep in my street clothes and, in fact, I need a jacket much more at night to stay warm enough to sleep deeply than I do during the day. During the day, if I am outside, I am usually walking somewhere. If it is above 40 degrees and the wind is not too bitter, I am in little danger of dying from hypothermia as walking generates heat. But, temps drop at night and inactivity/sleep drops your body temperature and laying on cold ground can really suck the heat out of you.
So, like a lot of homeless people, if I get new clothes, I usually just trash the old ones. Unlike most homeless people, due to my medical condition, I will toss my clothes because they have gotten too germy and grimy and are actively making me ill.
So, I didn't have these new items very long -- maybe two or three weeks -- when I felt compelled to trash them. I both felt bad and worried that either she would be judgey about what I had done and never do anything for me again because of it or that she would confront me about it.
She never confronted me, but I didn't get help from her again. So it is possible she saw me a few weeks later without the jacket and felt like I had pissed away her gift.
Nothing could be further from the truth, but my life is just not like that of someone with a home. I have to make choices that are the least worst outcome for me under very challenging circumstances.
So, overall, as long as it is clean, thus not a threat to my health, I would much rather have used clothes given to me for free. I am not trying to impress anyone or go to a job interview or social climb. I am just trying to survive while trying to work out very serious personal problems. Used clothing is something that I am more comfortable with accepting and I see no reason for you to spend big bucks of your hard earned money on new clothes for me.
Besides, if you can afford to spend that kind of money on me, I would rather you give me the cash and let me decide how to spend it. I know my needs and preferences better than you. It is kind of insulting for you to go spend big money on me without knowing me but clearly presuming that you know better than I do what I need.
So, especially on cold, wet winter days, a free jacket, sweat shirt, sweat pants or entire outfit can be a huge help to someone on the street. You can just get something out of your closet that you no longer wear, toss it in the car and offer it to someone who looks homeless.
Just ask if they want it. Don't pry. Don't ask them if they are homeless or what their name is or whatever. If you have made a mistake and it is a nonhomeless individual who has no need of it, they can just look puzzled and tell you no. Then you can drive away, no big deal, and offer it to someone else who seems to be in need of it.