So it took me awhile to tell my family i was collecting items and helping the homeless as i knew they would be worried.. but when i finally told them they started to get involved. When I first took my mother on the streets I made her stay in the car or give out backpacks from the car window.
Now she gives them out on her own every year and even gives backpacks to her co-workers so they too can help others..
Here are two posts from her about experiences she has had.
thanks ~doxie
Just wanting to share a couple of experiences I’ve had while handing out back packs to the homeless and people who just need help.
Experience No. 1)
This story is about a gentlemen who was setting across the street from the shop where I work. I didn’t see him at first because I park on the side of our building. But when I got to the office, one of my co-workers ( Don ), bought him to my attention. It was January cold and snowing a little. When I looked out the window I could see he was cold, he was only wearing a shirt and slacks, no jacket or sweater. Don told me that after he parked his car the gentlemen tried to talk to him but he ignored him and just kept walking across the street to the shop. Then I noticed the man was putting his arms up each time a car would drive by and I could see blood, one of the other co- workers ( Pat ) run across the street and came right back and told us to call 911. {Allen} one of the owners of the shop called 911 again, another owner ( Kathy ) who still had one of the homeless back packs,( I had given to her) still in the trunk of her car, which was parked right outside the office door, so I grab it and run over the man. Pulled the scarf out of the back and wrapped around him. The other co-workers and I surround him to try and give him some warmth. He was having a hard time talking he just wanted so I took the bottle out of the back pack. That is when we saw the gentlemen had “No” hands. They had been amputated and he was covered in blood but it wasn’t from his hands. The amputation was done surgically and not recently. About that time the police finally arrived and asked the gentlemen what had happened? Who had done this to him? Why did he have blood all over him? The gentlemen told the officer” his sister had done this to him but could not tell the officer why. He gave the officer his name but could not remember where he came from or where he lived. We called 911 for the second time because E.M.S. hadn’t arrived yet. When they finally did get there the lead officerwas upset that it had taken so long for them to arrive on scene. So the officer then asked them sarcastically “what did you do stop for breakfast first” than told them, this gentlemen needs help A.S.A.P. The paramedic checked him out and put him on the stretcher then put a warming blanket on him then started an I.V. drip, they put him in the ambulance they worked on him for about 30min. and then transported him to the hospital. After we returned the shop, Don came over to me and said “ he felt like crap because he had ignored the gentlemen ” and the man had to sit out on the cold 45 mins longer then was necessary, until we did something to help him. Because he just didn’t take the time to look at the man.I told him to try and take comfort in the fact that, he did finally say something To me and because he did we most likely saved the gentlemen’s life.
Experience No. 2)
In early March after leaving the T.V. station in Detroit where I work, one day a week. I drove over to Comerica Park to purchase Tiger Tickets but box office was not open at that time. I felt the stadium and headed for Woodward. When I got there I wasn’t sure where I could turn left onto Woodward or not? So I drove straight across Woodward and turn on the first street that went left. After turning onto the street I had to stop for a traffic light. That is when I noticed a man setting on the sidewalk up against a building. I rolled my window down and asked gentleman if he would like a backpack? He answered “sure would appreciate it”. He asked me throw it to him, so I reach behind my driver seat and tossed the bag out the window. It landed in the street then he yelled “it’s OK I will get it”. That is when I saw, he was only able to drag himself. About that time the traffic light turned green, so I put my in van in park and jumped out to get the bag for him. I put my hands up and motioned to people in cars behind me so they would know I was helping the man retrieve the backpack. I walked it over to him. Then let him know there are gloves, a scarf, water plus a lot of useful things in the backpack. He told me “Thank you” and I told him he was “Welcome”. As I turned to return to my van, I noticed 3 men who were wearing business suits and walking on the same side of the street. I waited for them to pass and neither one of them would even look at the homeless person or myself. Carol L. Kaltz
Thanks mom for sharing.. both stories demonstrate difficult situations and show your compassion for helping others. thanks for taking the time to help these people and show others it is easy..just do something..anything…even if it is just saying hi!…
