This is another picture that shows, in a very strong way what many in our community do when they see a homeless person. Did you see the previous post? How can we fix homelessness, if we don't acknowledge it? Do we (Collective We), not acknowledge it because we don't know how to fix it?
I don't know the answers, but sometimes think people look away because they don't want to stare, which is considered impolite. Maybe just smiling, or saying hello would be a step to make them feel less invisible?
None of the above has mentioned begging, so let me address that, since it is the title of the post. (Just found the picture profound). Recently I've read some articles about some communities cracking down on what they are calling aggressive begging. The first article was actually from The UK. The area where the royal wedding will be, has a handful of homeless/street people. Their government has decided it's inappropriate for them to be there on the doorsteps when the royal wedding uses that particularly route. They indicate they are being forceful---aggressive with begging, some who work or live in the area say that's not true; while other business want the homeless gone. Apparently, the problem is global, not specific to The United States.
I've passed people who have a can or bucket ...some container and are requesting donations, but, I've never had anyone actually approach me and beg for money. Have you? Do you give money to those with containers? Some say it helps, others say it's not a good idea, as some aren't real homeless people, but con artists. How do you know if you're really helping someone? Isn't it better to perhaps give donations to someone who might be a con artist, than to not help anyone?
I see both sides of the issue, and have from time to time drop some money in the container; other times not. I don't more than I do, and sometimes I later feel badly because I didn't. Sometimes it's because I don't want to open my purse, sometimes it's because I know I don't have small bills..........I often carry very little cash, because I charge 99.9% of all my purchases. I sometimes put a couple of dollars in a pocket (if I have one, and often as a women don't have pockets), so if see someone I can make a contribution without getting into my purse.
Tell us what you do? Tell us what you've seen. Perhaps we can learn from each other.
In my effort to blog in ABC order, this is my B post.
A post is HERE, if you missed it.
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.
There are so many faces of homelessness. Some of the faces though are faces not often seen. 5 people in this picture at a traffic light waiting to cross. The picture seems to make a point of showing how faceless the homeless person on the ground is. Several appear to be purposely looking any other direction. The young woman, takes what appears to be a quick sideways glance.....and then we assume the light changes. I am told in a good number of articles I've read, we as a society look away because it makes us uncomfortable. We look away because it's easier not to see the faces.
Several years ago I entered a blog contest that challenge bloggers to blog in alphabetically order. It was a daily challenge. I am going to attempt to blog in ABC order in hopes of having more blog posts written, even if there are no donations to show that particular day. I'm probably not going to be able to do it daily, but will attempt the ABC to have something here much more often that last year. More frequent posts are suppose to help the SEO placement, just like more blog visits do, and more blog comments and sharing links etc. So, I'll be sharing pictures, some stats and some of things I've found along the way about homelessness.
A=Afghan
Afghans
Goal: 36
Start: #1
Current: 1
START
END
This is our current Tally and Goal regarding Afghans. 36, our goal is an average of the afghans donated over the last 5 years here on Bridge and Beyond. We've started, and have had 1 donated so far, thus are current number is 1, and you see the percentage of goal accomplished.
I still have squares, stripes, and some pieces parts of things that have been donated over the years that eventually become afghans. Additionally, sometimes I knit or crochet a ghan from start, and many of you good people do that same. If you're new to the blog you might not know how our Afghans are used and or why we donate them.
This afghan is one my Great Grandmother made. I consider it quite a marvelous treat that I still have this. It's quite old. Currently, it's not being used and is need of repair; but it's this afghan that propelled me to think how special afghans can be to people. We donate afghans to families transitioning from shelter living to a permanent housing situation. With their afghan specially packaged in a clear very large ziplock bag with handles is a letter briefly telling them we congratulate them on their accomplishment, we wish them well in the future and that the afghan is a celebration for them. The letter tells them how to launder the afghan so that it can withstand the test of time, using a quick story about me having this afghan from my Great Grandmother.
Naturally afghans keep people warm and everyone loves to curl up under one. It's a feeling of being loved, and comforted. So, we donated afghans to Homeless Families Foundation and hope that we are providing warmth, comfort, and a sense of pride and accomplishment, as well as hope for the future.
Here's the link for our Afghan Tab
Please take a minute and read the information about size, laundering, perfumes, smoking, pets etc if you're knitting or crocheting an afghan to donate to an appreciative family.
**TRULY, our ghans are received as very precious items. This is a note from one of my contacts from Homeless Families Foundations.
Sandy - I wanted to share a story with you...Today one of our clients came in and he was picking out some scarves and hats from what you brought in for us. He started talking about how he use to have a blanket that his grandmother had crocheted for him and due to moving around a lot he had lost it. When I pulled out one of the wonderful blankets you had brought into us and told him that his grandmother didn't make it but hopefully he could think about her when he uses it, he was so thankful. He darn near started to cry which gave me the goosebumps. So thank you once again for all that you do for us at The Homeless Families Foundation. It truly means a lot to our families!
That's the afghan she gave him. During a later delivery to Homeless Families Foundation, I met the gentleman from the above story. It was a very special feeling for me. So,please know if you've knitted or crocheted afghans in the past for Bridge and Beyond, they are very special. AND, if you've not in the past; please do consider making one to donate.
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.
This afghan is one I tried hard to finish to add to our numbers for 2017, and just didn't make it. It wouldn't have made us hit our goal; believe we would have been within 3. So instead it will start us out on this years goal which is 36 afghans (the average of the last 5 years). It's a bit eclectic in nature, different than those I've made more recently; but I actually like it's weirdness. The yellow and white striped square was donated some time back by Ann M. I laid it aside until I could work on it to make it large enough to be an afghan.
It's bright, cheery, and large enough for a family afghan. It's sorta made in the log cabin style. It's currently drying as it's being blocked and will get added to the deliveries that are currently packed in my trunk. By the time you all read this scheduled post, it's already been delivered. Team effort, thanks Ann for the start.
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.
Thank you Sandie P for these two interesting scarves. I love the fun colors. This is a type of yarn that changes folks vs changing yarn and tucking edges. Oh how I love that idea. Would knitting or crocheting with this yarn be fun in making an afghan? Well...really in anything, but I think especially in an afghan where you really don't know when it's changing on you. Sandie says this yarn is Yarn Bee Sugar Wheel. I've not seen it at the stores, but am going to make a point to look for it..........like I need more yarn, lol. Sandie says it comes in 7 oz skeins and has lots of different color combinations to pick from.
Sandie has been a long time supporter of Bridge and Beyond, perhaps the very first one. If not the first pretty close to that from my memory. Thank you Sandie for your longevity. Folks you can pop over to Sandie's blog, it's listed in my blog list on the right hand sidebar. She's posted several variations of this fun yarn with recent projects. Check it out.
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.
Thank you Karen S for this wonderful donation of warm hats with a scarf that matches 2 of the hats. Thank you also for tagging your hats with size, that is such a benefit--both to me and to all the volunteers at the various shelters. It aids the item getting on the right shelf; which in turns gets necessary items into the hands of those in need quicker.
Folks you may have noticed the new progress bars in the right hand sidebar. I'm hoping this will help us see where we are in relation to where we would like to be...to meet our goal of donated items for the homeless that Bridge and Beyond serves. However, I have discovered that I need to add the numbers to the progress bars when I'm typing the blog posts. 99% of the time, the posts are written and scheduled to post later. I often type several posts in one sitting and have them scheduled to post even if I'm not sitting here on the computer. So, the downside of this new system is that what you see in the progress bars reflects whenever I last wrote blog posts, and will typically be ahead of the posts you're reading. Example. Yesterday's post, this one and the next 2 are being written...so the numbers for those 4 blog posts are reflected in the numbers in the progress bars. I'm currently going to try and figure the percentages out once a week, to keep from prefiguring the percentage with each blog post I write. I had thought, the percentages would be automatically updated, but apparently the html code doesn't do that.
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.
Knitted warmth! Look at the variety here folks. Slippers in several different sizes and colors to help warm cold feet..........hats for the kiddo's is lots of cute styles, a couple of cowls..........and drum roll for ....you guessed it........MITTENS! And who knitted and donated all these goodies? Sue F! Many thanks Sue for remember us here on Bridge and Beyond. Extra thanks for tagging slippers and hats and mittens with size.
I have the trunk of my car all loaded up, as I type this blog post so I can make deliveries on Monday to Homeless Families Foundations.
Sadly the very top of picture is cut off a bit, as there are several hats you can just barely see there in the picture. Wished I had noticed that before tossing those 5 bags of donations in my car, I could have re-taken the picture; but no clue which bag they are in, or if they are all in the same bag. Luckily, my note tells me how many of everything so I plug in the number to our progress bars on the right.
Folks these progress bars are new, and not so far the easiest thing to use. If any of you bloggers know a different style, I would love to know. Likewise, if anyone knows how to change the default font on the blog. Some of the functionality seems to be gone that used to be available. I keep changing the font with each blog post I write, as I don't like the blog default one.......very small and not clean--straight forward looking at this one. Sing out if you have some thoughts on these two blogging issues. THanks!!
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.
Where are You and Your Yarn From?
I'm trying to identify where everyone is from, partially for fun. Take a look at the map. Also, believe it will aid me in cases where we have several people with the same name. Please look at the lists of bloggers and non bloggers and see if I have the state you hail from. If not, please leave a comment and let me know.
Additionally, we've had help from Scotland, England, Germany Puerto Rico, Canada, and France! They don't appear on the map, but their help is still greatly appreciated.
