Homeless Care Package | What Makes a REAL Difference

Have you ever wondered how to help the homeless? Your heart goes out to them, but maybe you're not sure of how to make a real difference. Is it cash they need most? Food? A job?!

What is a homeless care package?

While there's a whole host of ways of helping the homeless, I personally love to meet several of their needs at once by sharing homeless care packages. Homeless care packages (sometimes called homeless care boxes or a homeless care kit) are a small collection of essential items a homeless person might find useful.

How did I decide what to include in the care kits? I went straight to the source, gathering information from local shelters, soup kitchens, homeless ministries, and the homeless community themselves.

Here’s what I found out!

What do you put in homeless care packages? Homeless Care Kit Ideas

Before diving into our list, I’ll mention that it’s always a good idea to ask before you give.

Everyone’s circumstances are different and they may not need what you’re offering, even if you consider those items to be basic necessities. If they decline your offer, wish them well and save your care kits for those who do need them.

Clothing

Clothing wears out quickly when you’re wearing it every day. Clean socks and teeshirts were highest on the list of clothing needs.

Wondering which socks they prefer? I researched that too!

The most common answer was men’s white crew socks. Shoes are also in high demand, but more difficult to provide unless you know and plan for the person's size.

Cold Weather Clothing Items (Homeless Care Packages For Winter Months)

Do you live in an area that experiences cold temperatures? Hats, gloves, scarves, coats, and other clothing items geared toward the winter months will help to shield homeless people from the elements.

Don’t have the money to go out and purchase new items? Gently used clothing items are appreciated as well! It's a great idea to check your closet for any hats or coats you don’t use and give them to those who will.

Hand warmers are a fantastic help as well. Consider purchasing hand warmers in bulk and keeping some handy in your purse or car to give to others when you encounter a need.

Bedding

Blankets and sleeping bags are helpful, the more easily portable, the better.

Toiletries/Personal Hygiene Essential Items

Toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, feminine hygiene products (pads), disposable razors (for homeless men and women), shaving cream, lip balm, hand sanitizer/hand wipes are common essential items that are often foregone in favor of food.

Lotion is commonly needed during the winter months, when hands can become dry and chapped from constant exposure to the cold. Consider saving the small bottle of lotion from your hotel bathroom and including it in homeless care boxes to share with someone who could really use it.

Non-Perishable Food

Aim for food that is filling, easily transported and has a long shelf life, like breakfast/granola bars, tuna and crackers, crackers with peanut butter or cheese, or beef jerky. You can hand out individual food items or collect a few basic necessities together in a homeless care kit.

A plastic water bottle can also help to combat the dehydration that homeless individuals commonly experience.

Fast Food or Grocery Store Gift Cards

Gift cards provide them with not only with a hot meal but also a place to get out of the street for a while, use the restroom, etc., since many stores only allow paying customers inside.

Train or Bus Card

Many homeless people cite lack of access as their main deterrent to taking advantage of homeless services. Offer a means of transportation to nearby homeless shelters, ministries, soup kitchens, grocery stores, and more!

Resource Card

Use this website to locate local shelters, soup kitchens, and other homelessness assistance services in your area. Then jot down any helpful nearby services, along with addresses and phone numbers, on a notecard or piece of paper.

Many homeless people mentioned that homeless shelters and soup kitchens are most helpful to their needs but that they don’t always know where to find them. You can solve their lack of access with just a few minutes of internet research!

An Encouraging Handwritten Note

Homeless people are often denied basic dignity and even acknowledgment by others. Including an encouraging handwritten note with your care kits, telling them you care and that they matter, could be just the words they need to hear!

Homeless Care Kit DIY

So what should you do…keep clean socks or toothbrushes in your car and hand them out to the homeless community as you meet them?

Possibly! In fact, many people do just that!

You can also create small care kits or "blessing bags" to keep handy in your car.

During my research, I stumbled upon the great idea to pack several essential items inside of a Nalgene or other wide-mouthed water bottle. This version of a homeless care kit provides them with several much-needed items, plus a durable water bottle. 

So I did just that, packing clean socks, hand wipes, hard warmers, snacks, and a McDonald’s gift card inside the durable plastic water bottle! I put a few in my car and a few in my husband’s, so we’d both be ready whenever we encountered a need.

You can also pack items into a gallon Ziploc bag or gently used purse or backpack to create a homeless care kit.

Tips For Useful Homeless Care Packages

• Don't give the homeless your leftovers or worse yet, trash. While gently used items are appreciated, items with holes or heavy wear don't send a message that the recipients are valued.
• Keep care kits small. Many homeless people carry all of their belongings everywhere they go. For this reason, it's a good idea to offer just a few incredibly helpful items than 20 meh items.
• Consider their pets. Some homeless individuals adopt homeless animals, which may mean the food in your homeless care package feeds a dog rather than a human. Consider carrying small baggies of dog food to give alongside your homeless care boxes, to ensure both are fed.

What should you not put in homeless care packages? What not to give a homeless person?

Not every gift is useful! Here are a few items you should avoid including in your homeless care packages:

• Crunchy or hard foods. Many homeless people may be struggling with broken, rotten, or sensitive teeth or may be missing teeth altogether. That's why it's always a great idea to skip hard foods in favor of slightly softer foods that can be easily consumed regardless of dental health.
• Perishable foods. A hot meal, or those that require refrigeration, demand the recipient eat them right away, whether they're hungry at the moment or not. Instead, opt for non-perishable foods with a long shelf life for those with lack of access to refrigeration.
• Gift cards for businesses beyond walking distance. Grocery store or restaurant gift cards for a store five or ten miles away will require the recipient to either walk a long distance or pay for public transportation to use them. For this reason, be mindful of each recipient's location when you give them a gift card.
• Religious literature. We get it, you want homeless individuals to know that God loves them and cares about them. But sometimes including religious literature in homeless care boxes can come across as oblivious or insincere. If you want to share God's love with the homeless community, use your own words and sincere conversation to do it instead of religious literature!

Handing Out Your Homeless Care Packages

More than food, clothing, or money, the most common needs expressed by the homeless are dignity, kindness, understanding, and encouragement. Most people avoid eye contact with the homeless, ignore their attempts at conversation, and/or act obviously uncomfortable with any interaction.

That means when you're handing out your homeless care package, simply making eye contact and engaging in simple conversation, even saying “hello” or “good morning," can go a long way in vastly improving their day.

Of course, be wise when engaging in conversation with strangers, homeless or not. Keep interactions contained to safe, public places where there are other people around.

Beyond Your Homeless Care Package - What else do homeless people need?

And finally, do you want to make a difference in the lives of more than one or two homeless individuals? Then consider donating your time and/or money to homeless shelters or ministries!

Check out this homeless shelter directory or your local church, and ask how you can help! These services have deeper pockets and more connections to provide the homeless with not just basic necessities but the training and assistance they need to get back on their feet again.

So now you know how to help the homeless! You are completely capable of making a difference in their lives, through homeless care packages and beyond!

Have you found a way to help and encourage the homeless in your area? Any tips or tricks you’ve learned to go beyond meeting their basic necessities? Be sure to share with us in the comments!

FAQ

What are the best items to give to a homeless person?

The best items to give to a homeless person are those they want and need, rather than the fun or novelty items you enjoy.

For example, ordering two of your favorite frappucinos and sharing one with a homeless person, while thoughtful, may not be what they want or need. What if they don't like frappucino? Or that flavor? What if they're struggling to regulate their blood sugar or are hungry and would much prefer a cheeseburger?

Focus on choosing from a list of items that are universally liked and helpful.

What are 5 things a homeless person could use?

If you had to narrow the above list to just five items, I would choose one or two items from each of the following categories: food, clothing items, toiletries, and resource card.

What do you give homeless people instead of money?

Nothing on the list of items above involves handing out cash! The homeless community can also benefit from food, fast food gift cards, toiletries, socks, teeshirts, warm coats, and more.

How do you make a homeless person happy?

There are a load of things you can do to help bring a smile to their face! Besides blessing them with a homeless care package, you can also:

• Make eye contact and smile.
• Pay them a compliment.
• Strike up a conversation.
• Take time to listen to their story without interrupting (if they're willing to share).
• Ask them if and how you can pray for them.
• Treat them like the valuable human they are.

What do you give a homeless friend?

If your friend is homeless, please give them your love and support! Help them find all of the resources available to them. Offer to go with them and help them to obtain those resources, if possible.

While it's incredibly kind to share your own resources as you're able, keep in mind that you want to help them find truly lasting solutions.