Love, Loitering and The Law

*clicking on image takes you to the article by Ariel Aberg-Riger

Blogging in Alphabetical Order brings us to the letter L.  Doing a google search for words that start with the letter L that have a connection to Homelessness I came up with a substantial list.  Here are a few that hit me:

• Loitering
• Loss
• Law

Additionally I thought of:

• Loom
• Love

The picture above really hit me.  Though it was made to illustrate some things that have happened lately and the law and loitering, it seemed a worthwhile graphic of the meaning of the word.  So, if you're sitting taking in sun in a park...no one considers that loitering....unless you're sleeping there, or look to be camped there for some time.


But, Homeless often do in fact loiter.  They loiter at fast food restaurants until they are asked to leave, they loiter at libraries until they are asked to leave.   They loiter to get warm, to get out of rain, to get away from the cold, or the hot sun.  They loiter because even if they have a night in a shelter...they're not permitted to be there during the day and so have to loiter somewhere.

There are laws about loitering.  Problem is, there is so much interpretation.  

The last two times I blogged for the letter L I blogged about Looming and Love.

Clicking on the loom picture takes you to one of those posts.

LOVE...I believe everything we do here on Bridge and Beyond for the benefit of others is an expression of LOVE.

Kindness, Giving Away Kindness and Blogging in Alphabetical Order

Blogging in Alphabetical order brings us to the letter K today.  In the two previous rounds of blogging in Alphabetical Order I've blogged about Kindness and knitting for the letters K.  I really didn't come up with any new word for this, the 3rd round of doing so.

Do you know a knitter, or a crocheter?  If you could give a yarn boutique like the pretty one above.  That would be a wonderful act of kindness.  Give it for nothing specific...in that it's not Easter, or Christmas, or someone's Birthday or Mother's Day etc.  Just give it, as an act of kindness.  Trust me.....it will be well received.  

Craft a note to go with your yarn boutique to spread the kindness yet further.  In your note say something like I just wanted to share some kindness from me to you......and suggest you do the same, by using this yarn to knit/crochet something you can donate to someone in need..........yet again sharing more kindness.  

Maybe you have favorite charities you could include in your note to help the person think of charities or to have something to select from?

Maybe you would prefer something like above.  Spotted this on Facebook and thought it worth a share.  You could print this and include it with your yarn boutique.

If you do anything like this, please let me know.  Take a picture of your arrangement with your yarn, or your note...I'll share it here on blog to help encourage others to reach out in similar fashion.  If you would prefer not to include your name with the post, simply let me know.  I know some of you big hearted people are a bit shy.  Contact me by leaving a comment here on the post, or by using the contact form in the right side bar, or by emailing me at sandycrochet@gmail.com

**The counts on our progress bars are current. All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

New Afghan Needs Name, Blogging in Alphabetical Order, Jobless and Judgement

This is the beginning (2nd picture I've taken) of the afghan I'm currently working on.  Will take some time before this one is ready to donate, as it's only about 7.25 inches when the picture was taken.  It's a bit larger now and has one additional color, green.  Not sold on a name yet..Lines of Jewels (lines because it will be striped?), Striped Jewels, Jewel Palette?  Thoughts?

Blogging in Alphabetical order brings us to J.  Some words I came upon associated with homeless are jobless, and judgement.

It's so easy to pass judgement on others.  Sadly, we all do it naturally.  We must fight our instincts to not pass judgement on others.  That becomes, I think even harder when thinking about Homeless People.  Often people judge homeless people to be lazy, to be criminals to be bad people.........when none of that may be true.  Living on the streets is NOT easy, to stay alive alone means you're not lazy; but that stereotype judgement exists.  Maybe the person is homeless because they lost their job, maybe they lost their job through no fault of their own, maybe they lost their job due to health issues.  So many possibilities.  A child may be homeless through no fault of their own.  Military often come back from service broken, be it physical or mental or both.  Certainly that's not their fault and they should not be judged.  

Being jobless when homeless is very difficult.  How do you apply for a job when you have no address?  How do you apply for a job when you have no means of cleaning up?  How do you apply for a job when you no phone or other means of being contacted?

Difficult problems being homeless, being jobless and being judged unjustly.

Blogging in Alphabetical Order, Illness in Homeless

In keeping with blogging in alphabetical order between posts that share donations, we're now at the letter I.

Last time through the alphabet, I blogged about Making an Investment.  
The previous time the letter I was about Inspiration.

Doing a google search for words that start with the letter I, that have a connection to Homelessness I found the following:
Illness
Insecure
Invisible.........among other words.

ILLNESS, jumped out at me.  Doing a bit of research I found a list of the top 10 Health Issues that Homeless People suffer from.

Mortality...and unintential injuries (bruises, cuts, and burns).  Homeless have a higher risk of death.  Listed as some of the highest risks of morbidity and morality are falls and being hit by motor vehicle.  Also listed is overdoses from drugs or alcohol or both.

Exposure is listed a major hazard with frostbite, hypothermia and freezing in cold weather, and severe sunburns, and heatstroke in hot weather due to dehydration.

Suicide is also listed, as is violence.  Violence stats were a combination of assault, rape and murder against the Homeless.

The warm items we knit, crochet or loom can help ward of freezing and hypothermia.  Perhaps sunscreen is something that should be considered for personal care items during the hot months?  First aid kits?  Aloe for both burns and sunburn?

If you have other thoughts about how we might bridge some of the need in this area, please leave a comment or send me a note via the contact form in the right sidebar.  Thank you for reading this blog, Thank you for helping in whatever way you can.

Been awhile since I've listed the alphabetical blogging blogs.  If you've not read or commented on A-H this time round, please do so.



3rd List Blogging in Alphabetical Order.
A=afghans Resurecting Learning Logs.
B=Barnacle Bill and Blogging in Alphabetical Order
C=A Cocoon of Yarn, Blogging in Alphabetical Order
D=Blogging in Alphabetical Order, D=Dog & Homeless
E=Ends, Blogging Alphabetically
F=FEAR, Fibers, and Fun Colors Matter
G=Donald Gould, Homeless in Sarasota, Florida
H=Hard Life, Hovel, Homeless & More, So Sad

**The counts on our progress bars are current. All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.