I've called every shelter in my state and all of them told me that they are full. I'm already at a shelter now but my exit date is coming very soon.

One of the family shelters that I called lied when they told me they don't have room. What happened was I called them and asked them if they had room. They said yes. They asked me if I had any children and how many. I told them I have a 1 year old and then she said "Oh...a baby. Well actually ma'am we are only accepting single women right now." That was suppose to be a shelter for women and children and she changed her mind about having room after she found out my baby's age. Why would a family shelter only allow children of certain ages? That doesn't make sense. When I spoke to someone else about it they said they think that maybe that shelter might not have had resources for his age group... But why wouldn't they? If they are a family shelter then shouldn't they have resources for all age groups?

I really don't know what I'm gonna do when my exit date is here.

I'm at a point where I'm starting to wonder if any of the other shelters sometimes lie about if they have room or not.

There was also another shelter who claimed to be going through renovations. They told everyone that but when I pass by the building I notice that they have a group of people hanging out on their property. They'd be outdoors but still on that shelters property. Makes me wonder if they live there or if they work there or if they are just trespassing.

Sounds like scam I know but trying anyways. I full time rv, my health isn’t the greatest I have good days and bad. During the bad I can’t do some of the things that need to be done (backs been broken 3 places) I’m wondering if anybody interested in going to Colorado ? I’m planning to go there in a week or so after I get some solar stuff completed and extra 100 gallon diesel tank mounted. Really wanna be in blue state and kinda out of the way until we see how things play out either way and would like some backup so I don’t get to the countryside and have a bad spell and no help. I’m 30, gay male, be fun if we clicked like that but not needed by any means and prolly a bad idea long term and could lead to arguments and fighting etc and don’t want that. Just chill ppl , lgbtq all the better I’d feel safer but also not required. I’m a pot head, tech nerd and normally always have high speed internet available. I guess hmu if it sounds interesting? A buddy/backup would be amazing.

Emergency sirens are always going off where I'm at about certain times and yes they are worst than other days. But it's life.

I filled out these applications online: https://cariversideco.tenmast.com/apply/ https://yvportal.hacsb.com/ Is there anything else I should do to get housing? I think it takes years to get housing. I'm new to doing this.

I possibly will fail my classes and lose financial aid. Because of that, I won't be able to pay for housing or the remaining tuitions. I should have been preparing for this months ago but I really thought a miracle would come through with my grades.

I have no family to stay with and I have no friends that'll help. They're all far away after the semester ends. I have no car and I have no job. I'm a first year Mechanical Engineer and I didn't even make it halfway through.

I hope to become an electrician but I don't know how I'll be able to get there.

Any advice?

Hi guys as someone who is currently homeless I want to talk to you a little about surveys. I know that some of you may have a hard time working or getting a job or may even be disabled or have another situation going on. Surveys can help! They won’t help you escape homelessness and let’s be honest half of them are scams or sign you out/disqualify you. However for me personally I’ve made 65$ this week from surveys. That may not seem like a lot of money but the truth is if you haven’t eaten in a few days or weeks or if you desperately need phone service a bus pass water or even something else…It Can make a difference and help you out. For Me personally I recommend spending a little time on Qumee And Swagbucks. I made 65$ on Swagbucks. (Took around 9 hours) this won’t help you escape homelessness but it can help you get what you need. Keep going guys we can help each other out together!

homeless and keep feet warm in cold temps, 20 fahrenheit.

Earlier today I made a post about being nervous about pan handling. Most of the comments told me to try it. But then after I tried pan handling I had someone threaten to call the cops on me and then when I posted about it on reddit everyone was suddenly against me pan handling saying the lady who threatened me was right. Also I was not in traffic and I was not aggressively pan handling either. I didn't approach anyone. They approached me. All I did was hold a sign.

Why are people on reddit suddenly giving me a different answer to my situation. Now I feel like my nervousness about pan handling was justified even though everyone said I should try it. But now everyone is changing their minds and saying that the lady was right for threatening me.

Here are the links to both of my original posts where you will see the difference in the answers.

https://www.reddit.com/r/homeless/s/AY1gJKLWYv

https://www.reddit.com/r/homeless/s/n2HkcBaYGE

I'm working on a school project regarding homelessness and I was wondering what being homeless is really like. I've seen lots of different perspectives involving how everyday people view you and what the everyday life is like so I was hoping to get some personal accounts. I also noticed many former homeless people critique the structure and budgeting of homelessness programs and shelters so I was wondering what is the direct best way to help homeless people?

I learned to keep my phone in my sleeping bag or backpack from being stolen

I was for a couple months I'm sure I mentioned it. Obviously didn't work out.

I've had people tell me that I should stop coming up to see the friends I made when I was on the street because I was in a house, I didn't listen. They were all very supportive and happy that I was back inside because I was out the longest. I met every single one of them when I used to just walk around the city and I brought them back to a gazebo I was sleeping in.

Well I tried to do, which I failed at, was convincing the mayor to try and do something to help. Although I did manage to make good friends with the chief and he told his officers to lighten up a bit if we behave. I also argued with the officers a lot when I first arrived, mistakenly, that did nothing but stress them out more which made it worse for us.

I got way too close to those I was hanging around with cuz we all mostly slept in the same area.

I do have the opportunity to stay in a room above my bosses shop. It is in the middle of nowhere in the next town, the only reason why I did not go when he first mentioned it was because if I don't have people to socialize with it will have a negative effect on my mental health. I'm slowly realizing that I have to just do that what's best for me keep my head down and do nothing but work and save. For too long I wasted time trying to keep the group together and try to keep them from doing drugs in public and drinking. They stopped doing both in public view, thankfully.

This is completely random and it's kind of all over the place, I'm just thinking out loud because I suppose I am worried about where I'm going to sleep tonight out of the cold. I do have my friends car that I could possibly sleep in if she left it unlocked. As cold as it will be at least it's out of the wind. I should stop wasting time now and charge my phone to 100%, so I can go find a place to sleep and get up for work

I was holding a sign outside while my my baby was in a stroller and a lady in a van threatened to call the police on me for "child endangerment" and then another guy accused me of scamming people because I didn't want to live with him. I'm a single mom I don't wanna move in with a guy that I don't know. That doesn't mean I'm scamming people. I also live in a shelter and have confirmation of homelessness papers from the shelter worker.

Edit: I've seen other families pan handle before. They didn't go to jail for it. And we were not going to get hit by a car cause we were not in traffic! I've seen plenty of women take their babies on stroller rides. They don't do that on the side of the road. And earlier today I made a post about being nervous about pan handling and everyone in the comments on that post told me to try it. But now after I tried it everyone is telling me I shouldnt have pan handled.

I've been dealing with single digit temps. My sleep system can handle it. I hate waking up three times a night with my face wet from condensation though. Also my raccoon paid a visit last night. He's a funny little guy. He has a little skunk for a lady friend that comes with him too. What do you guys do for bedding long term? I have an inflatable but I constantly worry about it deflating.

Id prefer to be away from normal society, alley ways are probably illegal, anyone think of any good places to loiter???

Hello 52 male homeless in Oklahoma. I live in my car and park in a parking lot to sleep. Temperatures are getting in the 20's , low , 30's but it's is survivable, Not comfortable but survivable. I have worked all my life and I have no criminal or traffic record and not great credit but i owe no one. I was working in July (Contract Job) and when it ended I always found something else or something else was already in the works but for the first time I couldn't find anything in time so I tried any and every other job out there to just get by and nothing. I had a girlfriend but as soon as the job ended and the homelessness began she realized she wasn't in love with me but wished me luck and was sorry I was having such a hard time :) That's life I know. I am in contact with services here. And I have an appointment tomorrow with a place I've been to numerous times. When I told them what my plans were. Basically find employment stay clean and fed and try not to go insane while doing it and survive the winter they all said ....well it looks like you have a plan. And I said you know I really don't that's why I'm here I tried to do it like I always have and it's not working now and so I was hoping you had some suggestions. You work all your life and hear from people that if you need help it's out there but that just isn't the case. What little help that is out there is targeted towards the younger people/vets/women with children and what's left is nothing. Housing first works and solves the problem of individual services tailored to each ones needs while letting us know we are human and worthy of the basic human rights in a civilized modern society. It is cheaper in the long run it restores dignity and has been proven to work in real life as well as many studies and the data to back it. Fuck the poverty porn let's start talking about why no cares anymore about our most vulnerable (US). Let's get real and look at what is going on and how people are being treated. The shelter system shouldn't resemble a prison. It's a fucking circus out here. More energy put into everyday with absolutely nothing to show for it. If they want me dead then please explain to me why I must suffer until then? It's all a big lie this culture doesn't give two shits about a stranger let alone a relative....it's become a post apocalyptic world with so many churches painting the landscape like religious social clubs who wouldn't allow a weary soul to warm themselves in a time of need or even most likely spit on them if they were on fire. Yes I know.....that's extreme but trust me anyone here who is homeless understands extreme. Everything is extreme. So fellow rejects of this plastic world....I hope the glitch in this matrix finds you and helps you out of this hell of homelessness and the evilness that follows it. We were all somebody.....Now we are somebody else.

I know it’s controversial but there’s even studies that confirm cash is the best to give low income and homeless people instead of things they may not use or already have. Things like socks and food I can understand giving. But also why not give cash? Would you rather be given cash or would you rather be given items of stuff?

I never thought I was say this but I'm so desperate that I'm actually considering making a sign and standing outside to pan handle. I already looked up the laws for pan handling in my state and city and it's legal. I have a job but I haven't gotten enough checks to get out of homlessness yet.

The shelter that I'm staying at now has my exit date in a few days. I've called every shelter in my state and all of them are full. I'm a single mom with a 1 and a half year old son and I'm homeless because of domestic violence. I applied for every form of government assistance and so far all I have is food stamps and medicaid for my son. The only thing stopping me from pan handling is that I'm afraid of it attracting stalkers or people accusing me of faking when I'm not. I'm also afraid of people posting pictures or videos of me on social media if i pan handle or if someone calls CPS on me because me and my son are homeless. Even if CPS doesn't do anything about it the threat of someone calling them on me still scares me.

I just wanted to pop in and say a big ol thank you to everyone that extended kindness to my last post on here. Y'all words stayed with me even until today. Although not much has changed since the last post u am a little more positive about going forward.. however that may be. There really are people in the world that are genuinely beautiful souls, and your words have helped restore some faith in people to be just nice people without expectations in return. So thank you. To every message, and every comment to my story. I hope you are abundantly blessed many times over. When I get out of this situation and in a better place in my head, heart and life.. have no doubt I will make every effort to pay it forward to someone like me and my sister.. please continue to pray for us as the weather is getting colder, but I know at some point something will click for us somewhere and that will be the traction I need to take off running with it and make it.

Are you needing food ? If you're able to get to midtown, I can help.

I see many are looking for work. I can't make promises, but I can try to help with that. I know there are openings for:

Home assistants Go-Fors (usually running errands) Office assistants Hands to help moving Hands to help with events & catering There are some domestic skills openings too, like cleaning, cooking, & organizing

Since people are struggling sell your things to a pawn shop and get cash. It's pretty easy and depends on what you sell.

I (probably prematurely) moved out of my transitional housing program after getting a long-term assignment at my job, only to be fired just before the move-in date. I feel like Im right back in survival mode, having to ask friends for money, applying anxiously to many jobs, and wondering if ill be right back on the street come January. I am praying for the day where the "feeling" of being homeless finally leaves me

Man I hope this grocery store actually hires me. She said she needed someone bad and she would push the paperwork through as fast as possible. I hoped I'd get the email shortly after that yesterday but I still don't have it. This would be the third job that pretty much guaranteed me I had the job and then ghosted me.

The pay is good enough, the hours are perfect. I need this so bad. Come on ppl just give me a damn chance that's all I ask.

Sometimes clothing / linens get so worn, thrift store & even shelters won't want them, but someone down of their luck could use

We have an otherwise nice fuzzy fitted sheet (has a small tear)that can tossed or strategically placed where somebody might find it, and appreciate it.

I reguraly donate, but sometimes I find stuff in the house nobody wants, like that sheet.

I (21F) recently lost my job, was kicked out of my transitional living program, and am now homeless living in my mother’s car. I’m in the process of applying for disability and I’ve just started a part time job but she’s leaving for two weeks to go on a vacation and I’m left stuck in her car in freezing temps! We don’t have the best relationship and I’d do anything to get away from here but our shelter has a waiting list. I have a bike I can use to get around but wanted to know if anyone in the 910 area would know about any resources for young people or know where I can go to charge my phone besides a library and where else I can hang out all day inside? It gets cold here at night so I’m open to anyone knowing where I can get free/cheap blankets to keep warm. And wondering if anyone has tried those solar battery packs and if getting one would be worth it. Very stuck here and struggling but my mother insists that she should go at it alone and doesn’t want her baggage (children) ruining that and chooses to not have a home and struggle so I have no other place to be. I’d also like not to waste time and want to know what housing is available to younger people or if that means I won’t be a priority. Either way I’m in a toxic environment and need to GET OUT! So any help is much appreciated.

I think I need to buy a portable alarm clock. My phone's alarm clock isn't loud enough and keeping it on throughout the night wastes its battery. I need an alarm clock that's advertised as loud because I think I have DSPD( delayed sleep phase disorder), which means I naturally wake up late. I need it to wake up for appointments and stuff. When I wake up I can just take caffeine to feel awake. Obviously I'm homeless so I need to buy one from Amazon that is portable.

If you use one, which brand is it and how long does its battery last?

I’ve been homeless for about 5 years of my life - I lived on my own for 4 years but caught a dui and between attorney fees, jail, blow n go, treatment, court dates I couldn’t afford my own place or car payment so I gave up the car and when my lease ended I went homeless. I went to the food bank but 80% of the food I need to cook or have an oven never thought about that. But I did work and buy myself a car. That was a big stepping stone. I’m still pushing and I hope you can too!!

For example, has anyone applied for cash assistance and got rejected? If so, what did you do afterwards?

I will not come out leading the pack, but inspiring it to push forward into the hunt.

To all of you who roughing it, or otherwise homeless, you are absolute beasts. Keep those chins up, those whits about you.

Never, ever allow anyone tell you that you are not worth something. All of that what you have put up with, and all you will put up with, you know we're not going to come out the same. We are going to come out much stronger, wiser than before.

To all of you new to this, same of course goes for you.

Do not dare lower your head to any, but remain humble. Despite the odds, there is a way out.