From Your Hand to the Homeless

Mylar blankets make great gifts for homeless people whether the weather is warm or cold. Mylar emergency blankets can keep in warmth better than any other available blanket of their size but they can also be turned around and used to keep heat off.

Mylar blankets come folded up tight into neat, pocket-sized packets which is why they are perhaps the best blankets to get for homeless people.

Those little disposable hand warmers can provide warmth and comfort on cold days and nights. Even in warmer climates, homeless people get cold at night.

Granola bars or energy bars are packed with calories and nutrients yet they are light and easy to carry, they taste good, and they don't spoil easily.

Granola bars make nice little gifts for homeless people because it's easy to slip a handful of them into your pocket in case you run into someone who is homeless.

In the summer, most homeless people can't get out of the heat so gifts like bottled water or Gatorade can help them to avoid heatstroke.

It's really, really hard to stay clean when you don't have a bathroom of your own. Moist towelettes can help a homeless person feel cleaner when no access to running water is available.

As much as 20% of a person's body heat is lost through his or her head. Hats are the single most effective item to keep a person warmer.

You can buy cheap knit hats at most discount stores such as Family Dollar, Big Lots, and Dollar General. The ones in the photo were at Dollar Tree for just one dollar each.

Knit hats make great gifts for homeless people even during warmer weather because they can also help keep hair cleaner when sleeping outside as well as keeping heads warmer in the cold.

You can also learn more about getting hats to the homeless by visiting Linda's Hats for the Homeless.

Gloves can keep homeless hands warm in cold weather and at night in warmer weather.

You can often find those stretchy, one-size-fits-all gloves at dollar and discount stores for about a dollar in many dollar and discount stores.

It's hard to keep up with dental hygiene when you are homeless so a toothbrush and a sample-sized tube of toothpaste make another great, compact gift.

You can find these items at big box stores like Target and Walmart, in dollar stores, and in drug stores, often in the sample size aisle. These items usually cost under a dollar.

Combs are one of the easiest small gifts to find and to carry. They are durable and take up very little space.

You can get a big package of combs for just a few dollars at most discount stores. You can also find them in dollar stores and big box stores.

It can be hard to find a drinking fountain every single time you need a drink. A canteen can give a homeless person a way to carry water around easily. Regular water bottles are good, too, but they are not as easy to carry if one is carrying all of his or her possessions around, too.

Canteens are harder to find than many of the other items on this page but they make wonderful gifts for homeless people. You can find them online and in military surplus stores. Also, they can sometimes be found in the sporting goods departments of department stores.

Homeless people can usually get access to water but water can get boring sometimes. Drink mixes such as hot cocoa envelopes or fruit flavored drinks also provide calories and sometimes other nutrients. Instant breakfast packets (the ones that don't take milk) are really great because they provide a meal as well as a beverage that is a treat.

This year H1N1 flu is expected to hit homeless populations harder than the general populace. Hand sanitizer, used properly may kill the flu virus and prevent the spread of germs.

Purse sized sanitizer gel is another cheap and easy gift to carry around.

A few people have asked me "if homelessness has affected you so deeply, why don't you donate your lens earnings to charities that fight homelessness?"

I would love to donate the proceeds of this lens and all of my others to help homeless people. Unfortunately, I'm on the very edge of homelessness myself.

You can read about why I'm in financial difficulty here.
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