I was just reminded of the Christmas of 1987

[nadinbrzezinski]

no, not for baubles. And as a Jew, christmas was a day I worked so a kid could go home and celebrate with family...

We responded that day to an asthma emergency and we were able to take care of it in the field. But... the family had NOTHING and it was a REALLY SLOW shift. So we went over to COSCO, and we bought the family blankets, and all the fixings and some more canned goods... it ran me over two hundred bucks, not that I cared that much. We took that back to them, as I said it was a REALLY slow shift. We had three calls all shift. And that family was so damn grateful. Somebody took care of them... and they did not need to know where that came from.

Well today I stopped to get some dinner at a cheap sushi place. I did not feel like cooking and I just bought close to 100 bucks in groceries So this woman approaches me asking if I can help her with 65 bucks for a motel tonight... I gave her five bucks and told her, do you want something to eat?

Her face lit up... got her son and yes I bought them dinner.... we need to help each other.

By the way she is one of the people that did not vote. Before you go onto WHY? The horror... she lost her house a month before the election. She's been in the streets since. And you know what? With all the foreclosures she is not alone.

Oh and I am fully aware that buying them a meal, and giving them some money is not going to help her tomorrow, but this actually helps in the morale department... but WE AS A NATION need to do something about it... and no I don't judge people... but we need to do something at the government level... PERIOD!

[malaise]

1. This is not the America I know

You're a good person :grouphug:

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. No and that poverty these days

reminds me of Mexico...

[ejpoeta]

3. thank you for being a good person. too many jaded folks out there.

refuse to see that that could be any of us. and once you are in that hole it's hard to get back out again.

[handmade34]

4. yup

as my job puts me out in neighborhoods everyday, I have lots of opportunities to either give a person a couple of dollars or not. If I gave every single person who approaches me money, I would be flat broke. My partner and I do what we can and most often don't give money, but take people out to eat often. I could probably fill a book with the stories...

a man needing gas, so we drove him to a gas station and filled up his gas can for him

the homeless, tattered man we invited into a fast food joint with us and had to push to convince him to order as much food as he wanted... he would not sit with us but we stayed until he was finished and out because there was a table of punks that we were convinced would hassle him if we weren't there

the couple that asked for money, but I went instead to a Wendys and brought them a couple of combos and we sat down together on the stoop at the gas station and chatted

the homeless family that we took into a buffet restaurant, paid for their meal and let them enjoy

I know we may get scammed once or twice but I know most of the people we take time to talk to and help out, appreciate it and need it... we take time to talk to everyone we give money to or share food with

I know also that we can't offer any long term help, but the human touch and concern means an awful lot to many people...

As a society (government) we really must do something because one person in this country going hungry is too many and one person homeless is too many

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. I know, I wonder when we will be a functional society again?

and no, we are not at some basic levels.