Homeless In The Winter: What To Give If You Want To Help

We're coming up at the start of winter.

I'm looking forward to the snow and the early morning frosts. I love the cold weather and the beauty of blizzards and drifting snowflakes; I want to see my breath steam as I step out into the magical landscape of the cold season.

While fall is my favourite season, winter is a close second. As much as I love my spring and summer gardens, I hate the heat and the sweltering sun. Even though the cold hurts my joints and causes my arthritis to knock me flat, I still crave the frozen stillness of winter.

But winter, as beautiful as it is, can be lethal. I only love it because I have guaranteed shelter and the means of survival.

I've met many homeless people, from local folks who were down on their luck to people who bus from city to city with the seasons. I memorized where the local shelters and soup kitchens were so I could give directions to new folks in town.

In a city like mine, poverty and addiction can be real killers.

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Surviving a Canadian winter is rough when you're stuck on the streets, and it's made twice as complicated by the social stigma of being unhoused. I've seen people walk past the homeless with expressions of disgust, avoiding them like flotsam and trash rather than the human beings they are.

Those of us with empathy need to do better than that.

I'm not saying you need to invite total strangers into your home during the winter; that's not a great idea. But there are practical things you can do to be helpful and offer support.

First, let's get something out of the way: Not every homeless person can just go to the shelter, so don't even bother raising that as a solution.

Shelters have many flaws. First, there's the issue of limited space. There aren't as many beds available as you'd think, and hygiene can be a problem. Bed bugs and a lack of privacy turn many people away.

Most shelters also don't allow pets, so if you have a fur baby you aren't willing to abandon, they simply aren't an option.

Shelters are also often gender segregated, so if you and your partner are on the street together, there's a chance you won't be able to find a space that'll let you both in. Same-sex couples and queer people often face discrimination.

Some shelters will even refuse to let you in if you can't prove that you have a job, which, in my mind, defeats the purpose of having them in the first place.

During the pandemic's height, many homeless people opted to remain outside as well because shelters cram many people together in close contact. Covid hasn't gone away, and the issue of social distancing makes small shelters a hotbed for infection.

The shelter system is in desperate need of an overhaul, and greater resources need to be allocated to helping our vulnerable, unhoused population.

So, what can you personally do? Apart from volunteering or donating to your local shelters and soup kitchens, which is a good option, even if they aren't perfect.

On a personal, direct level, here are some ideas:

• Socks, hats and gloves: The obvious fact is that winter is freaking cold. Apart from the serious damage caused by frostbite, the severe discomfort of being out in the cold can be mitigated by layering up. Dry socks can be hard to find on the streets, warm hats are a godsend, and gloves and mittens quickly wear out and gain holes. Replacements are always a great option if you can swing them.
• Thrift store sweaters: Same as the above. Sweaters and other warm outer clothing can be the difference between life and death. Thrift stores are a great place to raid if you're looking for knitted sweaters, cardigans and jackets. I've found great, warm sweaters for as little as $5 Canadian, and that's a lifesaver. It's a great way to source warm clothing to give away.
• Care packages of simple food and water bottles: Food and water are basic essentials. Eating snow to stay hydrated drops your core temperature and increases your likelihood of picking up serious illness. Passing out water bottles and foods that don't need cooking is a great way to help. Fruit, granola bars, jerky and other suck snacks are perfect. Your body needs calories to stay warm.
• Thermos: If you want to get fancier, why not look for cheap thermoses? Having a means of keeping liquid hot and insulated is handy in the cold. Preventing coffee or soup from going cold while you sip it is underrated, in my opinion. Also, this can be used to keep water from freezing. Plastic water bottles don't retain heat.
• Cash: Some people are uncomfortable handing out cash, but what do you have to lose? Giving $5 to a homeless person might be the only thing that lets them buy a hot meal and get out of the cold for a while if they can't get to the shelter. It's enough to get a hot coffee or a small snack, and if they buy a meal, they might be able to sit inside while they eat. I've bought a homeless person a meal on a cold day for precisely this reason. It let her wait indoors until her bus came in to take her downtown to the shelter. Otherwise, she'd have been stuck outside in the elements.
• Heating packs: Did you know you can buy warming pads that heat up when you pop them out of the packaging? They're great for camping and hiking in the winter and are also fantastic to hand out as part of a winter care package. They can be worn in your shoes, held in your hands, or tucked into your jacket to help keep your body warm.

None of these gifts will break the bank if you're clever about where you shop for them, but they can make a massive difference in somebody's chances. Making up small care packages with a couple of gifts is simple, practical and immediate.

One of the things I talk about here on World-Weary is the feeling of helplessness and fatigue we feel when things seem to keep getting worse.

One of the best ways to fight that fatigue, get yourself moving and feel like you're making a difference is to do something tangible and real.

Simple grassroots efforts to help real people in the real world make a real difference in the long run.

Solidarity wins.

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