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Panhandlers Are People Too

Homeless person in Rome
Image via Wikipedia

Most of us ignore panhandlers. These are the homeless people who stand near traffic lights with signs begging for money. Some are hustlers looking for drug money, but some are really good folks who are really down on their luck. If you’re sitting at a long light, and one of these people comes to your window, try talking to them before you decide to give them money or not.

Hey, What’s Your Name?

That’s a good place to start. Just ask the person his or her name. Then ask them where they’re from. You may not need to ask anything else. That may be all a homeless person needs in order to tell his story. As they talk, do they seem drunk or high? Does the story seem real? Is he really a vet? Sometimes you’ll discover the person is well educated, bright and truly in need of help. You decide whether that help is a little money or a the name of a good homeless organization.

Get to Know Who Advocates for the Homeless in Your Town

Every major metropolitan area has organizations that cater to the homeless. There are usually a few shelters, several food kitchens, and even churches who will assist transients and people living on the streets. Nobody likes living on the street, but not everybody has the means to overcome homelessness. If the person is new to the area, they may appreciate knowing where the nearest hot meal can be found.

Do a Little Outreach Legwork

Once you find those homeless organizations, either drop by or drop an email and ask them for some business cards. If you can’t give a person the money he asks for, then give him a card for the nearest homeless shelter or food bank.

A Cool Idea

There is a woman in Austin, Texas who gives clean socks to the homeless. She claims it is more appreciated than money. Now, that’s a cool idea!

Filed Under: Contractors, Natural Disasters, Volunteer Organizations Tagged With: , , ,

What is Public Housing

Nearly 1.2 million households in America are living in public housing. Not everyone knows what public housing is and how to apply or qualify for it. Public housing was developed by HUD to provide decent, low cost rental housing for low income families, the elderly and the disabled. HUD stands for Housing and Urban Development. This is a government agency.

Public housing comes in many forms and sizes. It may be single family homes, apartments, or high rise buildings just for the elderly. HUD administers federal funding to the local housing agencies that manage the rental properties. The HA is required to keep the rent affordable for its residents. These income limits are developed by HUD. The limits can vary from area to area, so a family may not qualify in one area, but be eligible for public housing in another area.

How to Qualify

An HA determines a person or family’s eligibility based on several factors. The agency will look at gross income, whether the applicant qualifies as elderly, disabled, or as a family, and whether the applicant is a legal resident of the U.S. Next, the HA checks to see if the applicant has a history of being a good tenant. If there is a history of poor behavior that will affect other residents’ quality of life, the application can be denied.

To apply for public housing, the applicant needs to contact the local housing authority. The application must be written. The HA can assist with this if necessary. The agency will go through a list of factors that determine eligibility including current address, names and ages of people to live in the home, and current income. The HA may also visit the applicants’ current home to see how they live and how they manage property upkeep. Also expect the HA to check identity of applicants through requested documentation.

This starts the process, and more information can be found at the local HA.

Filed Under: Housing Projects, Volunteer Organizations Tagged With: , ,

Best Items to Donate to Food Banks

CompWest at SF Food Bank
Image by Monica’s Dad via Flickr

Food banks are one of the easiest ways to help combat poverty, but what are the best items to donate to food banks? For those who do not have money to give to charity, a can of beans or bag of rice can have a huge impact for someone who is suffering from hunger. Although those are some great basic items to donate, there are some things that are preferred by agencies who provide food assistance.

Keep It Small

Often a donor thinks that a huge can of peaches is a great gift for the food bank. If the donation was for a food kitchen, it would be good, but as a single family item, it is impractical. As people gather things to donate, they need to put themselves in the shoes of a family or individual in extreme poverty. Does an enormous can of food make sense? What if there is no refrigerator to keep the unused portion cold? What if there are only two people in the family? The rest of those peaches are going to go to waste!

Buy 15 oz. cans or smaller. If the product comes with a pull top, that’s even better. The recipient could be homeless and not have a can opener.

Keep It Practical

The artichoke hearts in the back of the pantry make no sense. Just because the donor won’t eat it, don’t expect a ten year old to want it! Hunger shouldn’t taste bad, too!

Be practical. The most requested items are hamburger helper meals, canned beans, vegetables and fruits, peanut butter, jelly, canned meats, macaroni and cheese, powdered milk, instant tea and fruit drinks, Ensure, and baby formula and diapers.

See the trend? These are things that don’t have to be refrigerated, and most can be made with water or a small carton of milk.

If in doubt, contact the local food bank. If in a hurry, donate grocery gift cards.

Filed Under: Emergency Aid, Government Funds, Volunteer Organizations Tagged With: , , ,

How to Donate a Car to Charity

More and more often billboards are popping up encouraging people to donate a car to charity. This can be a valuable asset for a favorite charity if the transaction is done right. Here are a few tips on how to donate a car to charity.

Do the Research

Before donating a car to charity, find out if the organization plans to drive the car, sell it or have a dealer sell it. Often times, a dealer handles the sale, and the charity may get as little as $45 a car! That seems like a waste of valuable income if that car is worth any amount of money. Make sure the charity is eligible to receive tax deductible contributions. Ask for a copy of the organization’s IRS designation letter to verify this, and to keep for tax records.

IRS Tips for the Donor

It is the donor’s responsibility to determine the value of the car. Therefore good record keeping is key. Be sure to get a receipt of the donation from the charity. Be aware that non-cash donations are a big audit trigger for the IRS. Make sure the value of the car is documented and keep records of it. If the car is worth more than $500, an IRS Form 8283 must be filled out and filed with the tax return. If the charity sells the car, it must provide documentation that the sell occurred between unrelated parties. The donor can only deduct what the car was sold for.

Keep Good Records

Since a car is a good reason for an IRS trigger, keep very good records of the donation. Take pictures of the car to back up value claims. If the car has new tires and other upgrades that increase the value, these photos will be the only proof that those things are valid. Remember that the donor, not the charity, is responsible to the IRS.

Filed Under: Volunteer Organizations Tagged With: , ,
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