Hello all. This is Jeff Seemann. Yes, the real Jeff posting under his own screenname. Jenn, Michelle and January have all been alerted.
I’m all finished, as of 6pm Wednesday night. 72 hours into it, I had to go home. Didn’t want to, but had to. I was approached by a police cruiser and was told that I had to go home or be arrested for vagrancy (originally, the charge was loitering, but the officer misspoke and clarified it during our conversation).
The officer was very nice, and told me that I had to find shelter or I was going to jail right away. I had checked with a shelter earlier in the day, and they did not have any open space for the night. Yes, there were other options, but I wouldn’t know if I could get in until about 10pm. I explained this to the officer, and he told me that I would have to go to jail if I didn’t already have a place to sleep inside. I believe the police were doing a sweep of the streets. They were not being aggressive, I think they were just getting everybody inside. It’s getting very bad out here tonight, LOTS of snow on the ground, and temperatures dropping fast.
After a short discussion with the officer, my options were laid out in front of me. Jail or a shelter. So I told him what I was really doing out there. He didn’t believe me. When I finally convinced him of my objective, he looked at me like I was a few bricks shy of a load. Then he offered me a ride home. I was only a few blocks from a friend’s house, so I retreated there instead.
He asked me not to return to the streets tonight, or the choice between jail and a shelter would no longer be up to me. I’ll oblige happily. Yes, I did this for many reasons, but having a criminal record is not something I’m willing to get on my way to another election day.
I’m going to spend some time tonight writing my final summary and I will publish it on Friday.
However, I’m not done with my homelessness experience. Tomorrow, I will go to a shelter at Noon for their Thanksgiving dinner. But I’m NOT going as a politician in a suit or anything of the sorts. I’m headed down, anonymously, to share dinner with people whom I shared the streets and the shelters with. No attention, no stunts, no spotlight. I can’t quite sum up how I feel about my experiences at this time, so I’ll just say that there’s a new-found enlightenment and a concern for the homeless in my town (and everywhere else, for that matter).
When I’m done with my dinner at the shelter, I’ll head home, shower and shave, and go spend Thanksgiving with my family and January’s family.
One last request. Enjoy yourselves on Thanksgiving, and make a promise to me. Pack up that extra turkey and stuffing, put it in the fridge and save it. On Friday, most of the glamour of helping the homeless on Thanksgiving Day will have worn off. Take your leftovers out of the fridge on Friday or Saturday and go deliver them to somebody who is on the streets. It’ll take an hour or two of your day, and you’ll never ever forget the feeling you get from it.
Stay warm, stay safe, and never take what you have for granted.
Jeff Seemann
Ever since I firt noticed your posting about this the other day I have been having flashbacks to my own experiences with the homeless and me nearly being homeless.
I was living in the next step from homeless, in a motel by the week. Many stepped out of the homeless situation for a week or two at this motel, and many went straight back to the street after their money ran out. Thus I came to know a great many homeless people.
What I did to help was collect usable items from the trash, blankets and sleeping bags, which I would wash and fold, pots and pans, kitchen items and help them to furnish the bare bones room they had….Just one large room, bath and kitchen is how they were all laid out. No pots or pans, just basics, like bed and couch. If they were on the out, they were most appreciative of sleeping bags.. Here in Cal. big shelters do not open until it get 45 or so, not sure anymore.
I would also make big pots of soup and other cheap expandable food items, when I had the extra few cents and feed friends as they came by during the week…I remember one time when I was out of food, and a homeless friend and I scrapped together enough to buy some waffle mix and syrup…Noting ever tasted better.
You talked about the id problem, and that is hard, to get a photo id or state id is over 10.00 many do not have the cash. A free photo id, which can be used for services here would be so helpful to people, as well as a phone service that was free….Many do not have a quarter to even call family for help.
I always said to my more fortunate friends, they are me and we are they, there by the grace of God go I ….I was lucky to never have to have to live on the street, but I must say I did scope out hedges and other areas that would work if worse came to worse.
I visited friends who did live in bushes and hedges, anywhere they could have a little space and privacy and hopefully could stay for a bit in one little area…before being found by police and forced to walk or be arrested..for vagrancy.
There are many stories out there in the street, many sad stories.
I applaud what you are doing, btw…thanks.
And let me guess… If you do get arrested, say good-bye to your employment opportunities thanks to Mr. Criminal Record?
It become a vicious circle/cycle and there are very few ways out of it…you are very prone to arrest if you are on the street.
I also wanted to add that there are many street people who do have id’s, even drivers licenses, and from all walks and strata of society. But try getting or keeping a job when you are sleeping in your car or walking the streets looking for a place to sleep at night.
Also here is Socal there have been instances of church shelters being closed due to all sorts of code problems, newly minted from city council…drive the homeless to another town is the motto of many areas. Yeah, start walking till the roads run out, see if there is a place there!!!
Not everyone is inclined, or able, to go out and experience homelessness for themselves, and frankly, most people who would even consider such a thing already have a notion that it is not pleasant.
As Jeff points out, by Friday, the “glamour” of feeding and helping the homeless will have worn off. By the middle of January, it will have really worn off.
If you make resolutions, and have time or money that you don’t need to keep yourself in housing, what about donating 100 hours over the next year to your local homeless shelter, soup kitchen, ladies might want to check what needs are at a safe house for abuse victims.
If you have money but no time, you could consider spending 100 dollars of your disposable income every month. For instance in January, you could go to the dollar store and buy 100 hats, or pairs of gloves, or scarves, and either hand them out to people directly, or take them to what passes for an org in your area.
When the weather is warmer, you could buy 100 bottles of water, or 100 double cheeseburgers, 100 power bars, 100 umbrellas or those pocket raincoats.
Imagine what you would want if you were on the street, you will come up with plenty of ideas.
Those who are fortunate enough to have property that they rent to make disposable income could give someone a home, free until they have a job that pays enough for housing, which might be a while, so make that free 😉
When you are ready, the Resistance will find you… 😉
I play a game with myself each month; I allocate a certain amount for food. Then I try to live as frugally as possible, to see how far under budget I can end up at the end of the month.
Then, I donate the amount that I came in under-budget to one of a few organizations in the area that provide food and shelter to the homeless and the poor.
I do not deserve to be eating porterhouse steak each night when so many of my fellow humans are out there hungry.
Jeff, you are my personal hero right now for doing this. I know you did it so that you could understand firsthand, but bringing this kind of attention to the most pressing issue in our country is commendable.
near here, 7th Day Adventist, that has a free clothing bank in their basement. If you go in when it’s open, there’s a bevy of chuch folk in there, they have huge washing machines, make sure everything is clean.
I used to buy a new 10 or 12-pack of sox and take in there. Just the thought of someone out on the street without adequate socks, I just couldn’t stand it. I asked them to break it up and pass out. Tried to do about every month.
Now I’m with a gruop that’s pledged to buy one pack of new underwear per month for foster kids, so I’ve not taken socks in for a while. They do have a TON of clothing in there.
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Re the water. You don’t even have to buy bottles of water. Wash and air dry bottles you had purchased water in, or soda, whatever, to kill any bacteria. Refill. Put in car. Hand out. Keeping hydrated can be rough.
Thank <insert deity of your choice here> that you are somewhere safe tonight. I mainly lurk here and a lil at DK, and I have been following your posts here and there. I have been so worried about you!
I have to say that I really admire you for what you have done here…you might not have been able to go for the long haul,(I am kinda glad that you didn’t to be honest.) but I think nothing but good things can come from you. I really hope that you do get the office that you seek. 😉
Hopefully I can swing a donation your way here soon. I can’t vote for you…but I sure wish I could! 😉
Yay! When I sat down to visit my favorite websites, I didn’t expect to see anything that would make me feel thankful, but I knew the Bootrib was my best hope. Your post has filled me with joy this morning. I’m so glad your ordeal is ended and grateful for your dedication.
Thanks for sharing your story.