Helping the Homeless

A Practical Guide for Ministering to People on the Street

Last week some friends of Hope Farm were on vacation in Florida. While there, they observed a homeless man who was clearly in need of some help. They contacted me to ask questions about how to help him. Providing assistance to a person in need, especially someone you don’t know in a town with which you are unfamiliar provides a unique set of challenges and opportunities. We thought it would be a great opportunity to share practical thoughts and ideas about homeless care with our readers.

Step 1: Keep a stash of items to give away.

First, homeless friends are just like us! They love and appreciate practical items like food, water, juice, candy, smokes, and the kindness of strangers.

So, I always have a $1 bill, a few snacks, and a smile for the people I see by the roadside. Whether you see someone once or daily, small practical gifts of food and water go a long way. (See the bottom of this post for a list of items to keep in your car to give to a friend in need.)

One small act of kindness is valuable in and of itself.

Step 2: Regular interactions lead to friendship.

If you observe someone daily, it doesn’t hurt to give a bottle of water or a snack or a $1 bill on a regular basis. This allows you to build some connection and grow as friends. You might be able to have some conversations and build a relationship.

Our homeless friends desire relationships and community just like we do. The intangible gift of your friendship is worth a lot to a person who often feels invisible by nature of their circumstances.

It is our desire to build bridges of understanding to share the love of Jesus with them. Don’t shrink back from sharing the gospel of Jesus atoning death and resurrection and the hope of salvation in Him (Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9-10). The gospel is powerful, and its good news. Our homeless friends can use some good news, and this is the best news.

Step 3: Build bridges to better help.

We hope through educating our readers, the desire is planted to build bridges to the homeless. Your regular connection to a homeless friend might open the door to connections with other homeless friends. As you learn about resources and opportunities, you may be able to make connections to help out. There is always underlying cause of which homelessness is merely a symptom. The better you know a homeless friend, the better you can help.

Tangible ideas:

Things to have on hand to give to homeless friends:

• Water bottles

• Candy

• Cigarettes

• Bus passes

• Fast food gift cards

• Cereal bars

• Fruit

• Candy

• Juice boxes

• Baby wipes, hygiene items

• AAA batteries

• AA batteries

• Flashlights

• Candy (They Love Candy)

Looking for more ways to help? We can help you connect through financial support and volunteering. Just click the button below.