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Homeless help thread.

Ds

Ds

Bluelight Crew
Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
31,968
Location
God's Country
I hope that no one has to go down this road. Although years of drug addiction and alcoholism this is where it leads to.
I am not proud of the situations that I get myself into and take full responsibility.
I've made some fucked up choices and decisions in my life.
----
I want this to be a thread of support for the homeless or nearing-homeless.
Being on the streets is tough, and me myself coming from a well off family making a decent income here I am homeless on the streets of Birmingham,AL.
It's not fun, it's not something that I want anyone else to have to sub come to, but it happens.

If anyone has any experience, strength and hope it would be gladly appreciated.
-Drew
 
Yo seriously I am near homeless. I am living on my bros couch, but I am broke as fuck. Its seriously hard to get back on my feet even though I am sober now. I just take it at as it comes though. Its painful. Only thing I can think of that helps it is getting unhomeless..
 
Take this opportunity D's and turn it into something positive, summer is right around the corner. Hit the road [hitch it?] and have some fun. I would thiink the opportunities to get back on your feet easier would be in other areas but I am just rambling. Ive lived in shelters before and its no fun, what ever you do try to make the best of it.

Peace,
Seedlesss
 
I'm pretty much homeless, i have a place to sleep but its not my place... the only way to get "un-homeless" is to get a job and keep it. at least, that's the legal and morally ethical way to get un-homeless....
 
Hey D's, sorry to hear this, man. I know you've been applying effort and now this hardship over some stupid shit. I got faith in ya, man.

Some questions:

* How often do you have access to a computer?
* is the shelter you are at the kind that is on a first-come-first-serve/night-by-night type?
* are you in the actual city of Birmingham or the outskirts?
* can you shoot me a PM?

FOOD OPTIONS
* soup kitchens
* mom and pop pizzerias/delis (go in to one that is relatively small and buy a slice of pizza when they are slow. Carry a positive and pleasant demeanor (easily faked) and mention that you are currently homeless. Humbly ask if they throw their leftovers out at the end of the night. If so, is there any way you can swing by when they are closing so you can grab the lefties before they go in the dumpster

JOB OPTIONS
* I'll craigslist jobs for you. They'll be menial such as diswashing but right now its about baby steps and survival

REHAB
* PM me. I have an idea or two

Stay strong, brother. This is only temporary
 
I haven't been homeless for an extended period of time, but I have slept rough briefly in the past. I didn't want to go to a shelter cos I was worried that the women's shelter would turn me away (cos I'm a transsexual) and I hear those places can be pretty nasty anyway. So I got myself a warm blanket, found some safe places to sleep during the night, ate at soup kitchens, and spent my time hanging out with some other homeless people in the city during the day. It only lasted for about a week before my parents took me back in, but it was definitely a hard time. I can really empathise with your situation, Drew, and I wish you all the best.
 
I was homeless from the age of 14-16, and was on the verge of homeless from 16-17 1/2. Up until I was about 17 it didn't bother me that much. I still managed to enjoy myself, eat everyday, have some friends. It felt like a pseudo-Buddhist period of my life, just living out of a backpack and tripping every weekend. I look back on it with a sort of fondness. Once I was about 17 it really started to have an emotional impact, though. Strong anxiety issues etc.

The best thing to do, obviously, is look for a job. Everyday. Don't give up. Once you acquire a job, and let a couple months pass, things should start to get easier. Getting clean is a very important part as well. Even weed, IME, stopped me from progressing. Not giving up, and relentlessly taking steps to move forward, will never fail.

I hope the best for all of you who are struggling with this.
 
Sykoknot said:
I was homeless from the age of 14-16, and was on the verge of homeless from 16-17 1/2. Up until I was about 17 it didn't bother me that much. I still managed to enjoy myself, eat everyday, have some friends. It felt like a pseudo-Buddhist period of my life, just living out of a backpack and tripping every weekend. I look back on it with a sort of fondness. Once I was about 17 it really started to have an emotional impact, though. Strong anxiety issues etc.

The best thing to do, obviously, is look for a job. Everyday. Don't give up. Once you acquire a job, and let a couple months pass, things should start to get easier. Getting clean is a very important part as well. Even weed, IME, stopped me from progressing. Not giving up, and relentlessly taking steps to move forward, will never fail.

I hope the best for all of you who are struggling with this.
Click to expand...

If you don't mind, could you elaborate on your time being homeless at such a young age? It sounds so surreal. What did you do with your time? Did you still attend school? If you would rather not talk of it that's fine, bue I just couldn't help myself from asking.

I really hope the best for the people struggling in this thread. Don't give up. Imagine yourself in the future living comfortably and remembering back to the hard times. I'm sure it will make you all stronger people.
 
ive been squating on and off for about 10 yrs. #1 find a Safe SPot like a comecal building ruff top to stash you bag. #2 card board and news papers (i no it sounds clicha) will keep the wind frome bitting your ass. #3 go to fast food resturants OR cafateras let them no you situation (use as littel info as possable and Never let Any one no the exact spot where your shit is. #4 pannhandle at gas staions and luandry mats. Sunday morn at chuch ours are the best a gas staions or conviniance store. need mor advice send a pm
 
Another easy way to get free food is to go to the nearest university campus and find the cafeterias where the undergraduates (freshmen) eat meals, and a lot of times you can just kinda sneak in and get in line and eat, or, most universitys' have meal plans that the students (parents) purchase where you get a certain number of "guest meals" and you can ask (nicely) for a guest meal...you don't have to sit by the person or anything , they just authorize it @ the register. I ate for like 2 years for free using this method at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA.
 
grass lemon said:
If you don't mind, could you elaborate on your time being homeless at such a young age? It sounds so surreal. What did you do with your time? Did you still attend school? If you would rather not talk of it that's fine, bue I just couldn't help myself from asking.
Click to expand...

I dont mind at all.

I left school and home at 14. I spent much of my time at a gaming center. I took learning into my own hands and did alot of studying during the days. In the evenings I would smoke weed with some friends, just relax. On weekends (almost every weekend for 6 months) I did LSD with some friends.

I couch crashed on the weekends. During the week I would go sleep just outside town in this little boulder overhang/cave. (the LSD use eventually branched into mushrooms and MDMA, still using every weekend). This went on till just after I turned sixteen. By this time the homelessness started having an emotional impact (anxiety, depression, etc) I got a girlfriend, who was 19 at the time, and had her own apartment. I spent most nights there, though I still wouldn't call it home, as I still spent nights out, or on other peoples couches.

By the time I turned 17 I was living with my girlfriend fulltime. I still did not have a job, which left me insecure, and didn't feel I really had a "home". I helped pay rent through some other ventures. ;)

Me and my girlfriend started having problems and eventually broke up. I was left on the streets for about a month, although this time a round I didn't really have friends, or couches to crash on.

So now I am almost 18, and moved in with my mom, who lives in texas. (I was in NM for all of my life till this move). I'm fairly clean from drugs, and have a decent job that I really enjoy. I am also about to begin college. I have changed the direction of my life completely. I still look fondly back on the adventure of homelessness. I honestly wouldnt change it for anything. It's given me a very strong appreciation for what I have now. I also learned how to survive, in an extreme way that is rare for my age to experience.

Anywhoo, I left out alot of detail for the sake of length, and I have some chores to do. Hope this answered the questions you had about it. Feel free to ask anything.
 
sykoknot i have admiration for you! maybe you'll read jack kerouac in college and feel reaffirmed.

i had an uncle who was homeless sometimes. not always, but he often played guitar outside the local liquor store, and he always said hi, but nothing more... it was unspoken. most of my friends were unaware of the connection.

the point is: you can be homeless and have dignity. you can be homeless and have hope. you can be homeless and be a leader. my heart and prayers go out to everyone sleeping outside tonight. its just for now.

for anyone in vancouver canada: the harvest house id a really great resource.
:)
 
This thread is great.
I could have been homeless with my lifestyle and the shit I've pulled, but I have parents that I don't think would ever throw me out. That is not a holier than thou response, it's literally that they don't even want me to move out in a healthy way.... It's sort of reverse psychology because all I want to do is leave.

Homelessness... The fear of living in such a way has been instilled in me so hard... The other day I saw a buddy on the streets, a path he was travelling that wasn't all suprising. Just half a year ago we were doing drugs in his apt.
So many people I know and moer I don't will end up homeless for a good while or a short time... either way it's rough.
I've also taken so much to reading about it like anecdotally, pictures of extreme cases and just looking around through the many hoods around here knowing i wouldn't last just even mentally. And knowing that so many people do last. And it's amazing. And this thread shows that there's like a common sense of understanding among those who've lived such lives.


Also, as we all know here , a homeless person is not just that guy that talks to himself who lives in a shit corner of the world in brownsville bk without teeth the age of 50 skinny as a rail. It could be your 21 year old classmate. A friend without any resources. also someone who just doesn't care what happens to them or feel they don't deserve to ask for help. Youth everyday are without a home.
Like there's gotta be some mental change and growth when you find yourself unable to call any place "home".
Some people do feel like the streets are their home... But in general, homelessness is usually the result of unfortunate circumstances and not anyones cloud 9 that's for sure.

I think it's also great that people here can speak out. I know of alot of resources in my area .... the college campus idea is a great one! My community college just wants money, does not check an id.... down the road there is an amazing soup kitchen and a few shelters etc.
I am actually proud of my area for having so many resources.
 
seducedsoul said:
a homeless person is not just that guy that talks to himself who lives in a shit corner of the world in brownsville bk without teeth the age of 50 skinny as a rail. It could be your 21 year old classmate. A friend without any resources. also someone who just doesn't care what happens to them or feel they don't deserve to ask for help. Youth everyday are without a home.
Click to expand...

ture shit there.

being homeless sucks, i mean sucks, fuck the streets, fuck fighting for a sleeping bag, fuck it all.

living on the streets this past week has been a fucking roller coaster.
Somehow I havn't put a needle in my arm or a stem in my mouth like all the other homeless people around here. i've smoked some green, took afew ms cottins, and drank a few beers.
I don't panhandle, never understood how to do it, and everytime i try and ask someone for money i say shit all backwards and walk away with nothing.

I've been sleeping in a abandoend building with 10 other dudes, train hoppers, about my age, 20-24 years old.
They are leaving tonight to head to NYC, so that leaves me by my self around here.
ah well,.

I've upgraded from sleeping on a piece of cardboard to the floor of some chicks apartment. which i am grateful that i have a place, i wash the dishes, take out the trash and clean. and she gives me a place to eat,sleep,shit,shave, and shower. funny how one can come from wealthy parents and family to homeless status in less than 15 minutes.

I don't want to be like the other homeless people out there. The ones that smoke crack 24/7, and shoot h 24.7. These people have offered me to do it with them, and I tell them off. (i'm sorry but i'd rather spend my $20 for dinner for the next 4 days).

I play my guitar for money, my motivation in a real job fucking sucks, i never pictured a M.D.'s son in a paper hat making flame broiled whoppers.

Sorry if some of you are in the same boat. People tell me that it gets better. ..
Share how you make it through the day and night. (PS:beer bottles makes a great alarm system)lol.

so far i've made $37.59 playing my guitar today. $275 more needed for a plane ticket.
 
Bad place to be. Had a good few months there myself when I hit my rock bottom but mine was totaly self inflicted.

Now I work with the homeless, especialy those with addictions, and try to show them that there is a way out. Maybe I'll show some of them this thread.

You seem to be doing the right kinda shit D's. I hope your time there is short.

Stay strong, stay safe!
 
D's said:
ture shit there.

being homeless sucks, i mean sucks, fuck the streets, fuck fighting for a sleeping bag, fuck it all.

living on the streets this past week has been a fucking roller coaster.
Somehow I havn't put a needle in my arm or a stem in my mouth like all the other homeless people around here. i've smoked some green, took afew ms cottins, and drank a few beers.
I don't panhandle, never understood how to do it, and everytime i try and ask someone for money i say shit all backwards and walk away with nothing.

I've been sleeping in a abandoend building with 10 other dudes, train hoppers, about my age, 20-24 years old.
They are leaving tonight to head to NYC, so that leaves me by my self around here.
ah well,.

I've upgraded from sleeping on a piece of cardboard to the floor of some chicks apartment. which i am grateful that i have a place, i wash the dishes, take out the trash and clean. and she gives me a place to eat,sleep,shit,shave, and shower. funny how one can come from wealthy parents and family to homeless status in less than 15 minutes.

I don't want to be like the other homeless people out there. The ones that smoke crack 24/7, and shoot h 24.7. These people have offered me to do it with them, and I tell them off. (i'm sorry but i'd rather spend my $20 for dinner for the next 4 days).

I play my guitar for money, my motivation in a real job fucking sucks, i never pictured a M.D.'s son in a paper hat making flame broiled whoppers.

Sorry if some of you are in the same boat. People tell me that it gets better. ..
Share how you make it through the day and night. (PS:beer bottles makes a great alarm system)lol.

so far i've made $37.59 playing my guitar today. $275 more needed for a plane ticket.
Click to expand...

Aww wow.
your mind is good. You are so lucky to have your attitude.
That has got to be so hard.
NYC? close to there? You on the east coast?
It's sometimes so hard to think- how do people do it? The daily grind? There are all different types of lifestyles to survive. I surely hate what most of society wants us to be, but then I will probably doing my daily grind without a home as wel.
I mean what you're living right now is one of THE ultimate daily grinds.
It's interesting to think where we end up from where we were.

So glad you lucked out a little with having some kind of roof over your head. Damn I wish I could just do something to help out everytime I read up or hear or SEE that someone is a little hard up.

At least weathers warmer now... every little bit helps ha

How long have you been on the streets?
 
off and on for a while now, and i'm 22 now. sucks, my friends that i was with hopped a train to nashville tn. sucks now because i'm really alone. i gotta get outta this shit like for real.
i have a chance to start over in a new town far fucking away from birmingham al.
shit sucks, but i'm making it.

yeah the weather is awesome today!
 
A lot of famous people have been homeless at one stage or another. There was a guy in my area who was the Coach of Australia for rugby league and a few other local clubs, as he got older he became an alcoholic and resorted to sleeping on the streets even though he knew probably thousands of people who could help. Then there's the lead singer from Red Hot Chilli Peppers and then there's even Marvin Gaye. Most of these people came out above it though and formed successful lifes for themselves. So hang in there......
 
Alabama huh. Got that sweet southern accent ?;)

So you have a chance to peace. I think i read that thread actually. I think you should try it as long as it doesn't compromise your safety big time ya know.
Anywhere you may end up, read up on the area and the options for if you don't have a set home yet so you know just what resources to use and have a sort of mental map of your next plan of action!
 
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