Direct Service: How You Can Help Someone In Need

By on March 12, 2009 in Happiness, Health, Healthy Living, Living Your Purpose

 Do you ever wonder who could possibly help a homeless person? The answer is each of us can help. It’s called direct service – helping someone in need ourselves.

But how? There are many ways to help a person in need, including giving a homeless person a blanket. That’s how we started Children Helping Poor and Homeless People (www.chphp.com).

There is a law that prohibits sleeping on a beach in Los Angeles County at night. However, prior to 1988, this law did not apply to the area known as Venice Beach. So people without homes came to Venice Beach to sleep legally on the beach. Further, police officers would escort homeless people to Venice Beach so they had a legal place to sleep.

By the winter of 1987, there were hundreds of homeless people sleeping legally each night on Venice Beach. Each morning, some of these homeless people would leave the beach and walk by our home in Venice on their way to spend the day at a local park. The park had benches where the homeless people could sit, swings for their children and bathrooms that were open for public use free of charge.

At night, these homeless people would often walk past our home on their way back to the beach to sleep.

I must admit that I had fears about the homeless strangers who passed by my home on what seemed like a daily basis. I also had genuine concerns about their welfare when I saw homeless children, women and men without clothing appropriate for the weather. I was particularly moved when I saw a pregnant woman without shoes walking on the cold sidewalk.

I told my best friend, Augustine, that I didn’t know what I should do about the homeless people walking by my home.

Augustine responded, "Well, give them a blanket."

"Okay, I’ll bring a blanket to The Salvation Army."

"No," said Augustine, a little louder this time, "Give them a blanket."

"Okay, I’ll bring a blanket to Goodwill," I said, a little worried about where this conversation was going.

Continue reading on the Huffington Post

 

About Christine Schanes J.D., Ph.D.

Christine Schanes, J.D., Ph.D., is a consultant and public educator on the issues of homelessness. Christine is director of two departments within Nos Amis/Our Friends, Inc.: (1) the new Center for Justice and Social Compassion (www.centerforjusticeandsocialcompassion.org)  and (2) Children Helping Poor and Homeless People (www.chphp.com) which she and her children, Chrissy, age 8, and Patrick, age 6, founded over twenty years ago.  Today, CHPHP is a nationally recognized educational outreach program conducted by children and teens with adult advisors that encourages direct service.  Its goal is to help end hunger, poverty and homelessness.  For more information, please visit www.chphp.com. 
View all posts by Christine Schanes J.D., Ph.D. →

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5 Responses to Direct Service: How You Can Help Someone In Need

  1. yumi March 12, 2009 at 10:10 am #

    What a beautiful story based on such a simple principle. Your children are so lucky to have this experience!

  2. christine.schanes March 12, 2009 at 11:27 am #

    Yumi,

    Thank you for your comment.

    Truly, in 1987, Children Helping Poor and Homeless People (www.chphp.com) was created by my children, Chrissy (8 years old) and Patrick (6 years old), who had only compassion for those in need. As they grew up, they thought about how to help others and we discussed their ideas every night over dinner. They each introduced Children Helping Poor and Homeless People to every school they ever attended, including Loyola Marymount University and U.C. Santa Barbara.

    Today, Chrissy is a middle school Latin teacher and Patrick is a production assistant for a company in Hollywood. I feel that they are fine adults who gained as such as they have given and are giving through their continuing volunteer work with Children Helping Poor and Homeless People.

    Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my co-founders, Chrissy and Patrick.

    Thank you also for all you do for Intent.com and for all of us. Let's stay in touch.

    Christine

  3. beautiful.momentum March 12, 2009 at 12:40 pm #

    wow! this story brought a smile to my face! thanks for all your wonderful work :)

  4. christine.schanes March 12, 2009 at 2:09 pm #

    beautiful momentum,

    Thanks for your comment and encouragement.

    I'm wondering what the homeless situation is in your locale? Would you mind taking a moment to share what you see around you?

    Have a wonderful day!

    Christine

    Children Helping Poor and Homeless People (chphp.com)

    Website: http://www.chphp.com
    Email: chphp@earthlink.net

    Phone: 310-840-4777

  5. keath59 July 8, 2009 at 12:19 pm #

    Hi Christine,

    Our town is south of Chicago, in Illinois. I've called Red Cross, our local Church Pastors, Politicians, etc.

    Our town has "No Help for Homeless, or for those who are days away from becoming Homeless"! We're Living in Sub Standard Housing, and it's as bad as being Homeless. There's Health Hazzard's from Mold, and breathing in the odor from the water leaking in through the roof! The water goes through the blown in insulation, and turns the water Brown.

    Any ideas please contact us.

    Kevin, Elena, and Hayden

    kevinkeath@sbcglobal.net

    Phone: 815-432-3980

    I've included a link to one of my blogs on intent.com.

    http://www.intent.com/keath59/blog/volunteers-ill…