As part of a new effort aimed at educating the public on homelessness and outreach, we’ve created this new homeless outreach series. This particular post will be a quick overview of the kind of supplies most needed by the homeless and some easy tips on outreach.

Toothbrushes

Toothbrushes are very much in need by the homeless as poor oral hygiene can lead to a variety of ailments, not just oral diseases but other diseases as well. If handing out toothbrushes, try to make sure it’s still in the package so as to ensure no bacteria or dirt has gotten onto it.

Toothpaste

Of course if you’re handing out toothbrushes you should probably hand out tooth paste as well, though don’t let a lack of tooth paste prevent you from handing out brushes. Of note is that we like to hand out Sensodyne as it is more catered towards sensitive teeth and oral conditions, which is something that afflicts many homeless people. However, any toothpaste will work.

Soap

Something as simple as soap might go overlooked in homeless outreach, but let me assure you – soap is one of the most valuable supplies to the homeless! Living in shelters or on the streets can expose the homeless to very unsanitary conditions and soap could prevent disease, promote hygiene and make their lives much better.

Food

This may surprise many, but food is actually somewhat well provided for homeless and there are many fantastic organizations that serve hot meals and food, such as Coalition for the Homeless. However, food is still a good supply to give out but we recommend compact foods that are sealed and easy to carry as sometimes food sources can be uncertain and this will be a good way for the homeless to eat whenever he/she gets hungry.

Body Warmers

New York, and much of America, experienced one of the coldest winters on record and the cold can be deadly to homeless. This is why body warmers can be an amazingly useful supply to give out. These handy warmers can become quite hot and last for up to 18 hours, quite literally making them a life saver. All they require is a good shaking to expose the chemicals within to oxygen and they’re good to go!

Vitamins

Vitamins are an excellent supply to give out to homeless as they can greatly boost a person’s immune system, especially one who lacks proper access to healthy foods and conditions. One thing we recommend is to keep the bottle on your person when doing street outreach as sometimes handing out tablets of any pill can look suspicious.

Razers

Razers are a staple of homeless outreach supplies for a few reason. For one, appearance can play a large role in the way homeless are treated and something as simple as being clean-shaven can prevent harassment by the public or by the police. Additionally, shaving helps prevent things such as lice.

Wet Ones

This one might be a little surprising as well, but Wet Ones are extremely helpful to the homeless who don’t always have access to clean water or soap. This can be quite important when eating food and can prevent disease and spreading of bacteria.

Conclusion

While this is a strong list of supplies that can be helpful to the homeless, there are almost an infinite number of supplies that will be extremely appreciated by the homeless, such as socks, water, and even cigarettes. Additionally, if you’d like to get involved in street outreach, please email ben@superheroesanonymous.com for details on our new monthly meetings and street outreach patrols.

Live Your Truth!

~Camera Man

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