How do we help the homeless?

First off, if you meet a homeless person. Ask them if they need help? ... Many out there and getting help, but need to take breaks from shelters, or other things, or traveling.. back to family... The Best way I think to help them.. Is hire them to do the chores you do not like. But instead of giving them the money directly, have a preplanned goal that they want to work to put the money towards. Like a UPS Mailbox, and a Prepaid cell phone. Lets say you have 10 people who hate washing their floors and taking out garbage, each of those ten can pay that person with the agreement that one person hangs onto the money, and then they either travel together to the the cell phone company or to UPS store, and get them a mailbox, and a prepaid cell phone (or phone card, if they were staying with you..) after they completed doing the chores they had promised to do.. Then they would have a cell phone with minutes, and an Mailing Address, they could use to apply for jobs... Then if the 10 people wanted to continue working with them to help them earn money towards food and clothes they could. But they would have to make sure that what they paid the person was legally allowed to do... as in some places a person can legally earn only so much from a non business non family entity. I would think if you used to work for a lawn service that you know needed hiring, that you could teach a homeless person how to do the lawn care, and then allow them to name you as a refence to get a job with that lawn service.... may help them get in. Some people are not really homeless, but have car problems, and end up stranded on their way trying to return to somewhere... and maybe able to pay you back, or stay with you for a short time to earn money for their trip back or whever they are going. Otherwise the best things to do... Is help them get to a shelter, either by giving them instructions, or to the job center... they could use their previous address at first on applications if they are applying in the same county they had lived in, but may need to borrow someones phone number... Other things is to let them know where all the public toilets are, the Free campgrounds, any area where they can get free interent access where they can job hunt, or email relatives that may be able to help them, or look up further resources on their own. Some intentional Communities take them in. But for those who like the one on one helping plan I created a yahoogroup for that anyone is invited to join from anywhere. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/independanthomeless So far we have two homeless on there. One is from Pennsylvania, and other is from Florida.. .. I have links to other resources in the links section too. The Best to help them, is to help them become aware of where the resources are encourage them to them, but do not force or push, as there maybe help we are no aware of, or they maybe taking a break, or avoiding shelters to avoid being found by relatives, or choosing to live that way for spiritual growth. I have met some ministers who do this.... and others who choose a homeless lifestyle, or do not consider themselves poor.. So it all depends on who you talk to... but if you are worried for their safety then usually contacting authorities is the best help, or whoever is in charge of the area you found them in. Like on the Train, I would alert the train conductor... but she may not be homeless just a traveler too... who got tired of being cramped up in the train seat, as I got mistaken on the same trip as being homeless for sleeping under my train seat but some people, then I was mistaken as an off duty Amtrak employee by others hmm.. It is interesting how impressions can be decieving. I was just on a long distance trip, but I never worked for Amtrak, althought I think it would be fun, and the mistaken reputation did bring a little fun when I was invited to help the conductors out with luggage. - DNatureofDTrain