Need Heavy Men's Coat For Homeless Guy Neighbor

[Joe]

There's a homeless guy that lives on my corner. He has a tiny thin jacket and I can't believe no one has dropped off a coat for him in this weather. He screams at night (actually all the time, but worse at night) - and I think part of it is that he's so damn cold. If anyone has an old winter coat for a thin emaciated man that they are ready to throw out, maybe you can bring it to a Coffee Chat or drop if off at his sleeping quarters (Cervino y Lafinur). I'd just discreetly put it on his sleeping gear when he's not looking.

 

[la_guachita]

Have you ever tried calling 108 to get him into a parador nocturno?

 

[Joe]

Have you ever tried calling 108 to get him into a parador nocturno?

No, I don't know what that is and my Spanish is still beginner level.

I've been in this apartment for one month and I was expecting he would be taken somewhere but he's on that corner every day - all day and sleeps rough there every night. He let's out random screams and I was sure some concerned (connected) parents, that had their kids terrified, would have had him dragged away ... but no.

 

[nikad]

They can not forcefully take him anywhere. City social workers visit homeless people and try to talk them into going to shelters, etc, especially in winter, but many refuse as they don´t want to stick to a schedule, etc. There is also a big percentage of homeless people that were actually in mental institutions, and because they are not dangerous have been set free, so to speak. At any local church they get blankets, coats, etc but generally they dump them in the garbage after a few uses because they cannot carry everything around.

 

[Matiasba]

yeah, the majority of these people are not extreme poverty but mental insane (lots of them have a family, a place). We have a lot of homeless in BsAs but there have been several programs to take them out from the streets, what we call "Institucionalizarlos". They dont want to, they want to stay sleeping on the streets.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

No, I don't know what that is and my Spanish is still beginner level.

I've been in this apartment for one month and I was expecting he would be taken somewhere but he's on that corner every day - all day and sleeps rough there every night. He let's out random screams and I was sure some concerned (connected) parents, that had their kids terrified, would have had him dragged away ... but no.

He would certainly stand out in the neighborhood (our apartment is a block away).

 

[Rich One]

Joe is The Great Samaritan, Applause... however on second thought suggest he goes to the Feria Americana and purchase an Old Parka, instead of gulping his daily fugazzetta . I say

 

[camino no tomado]

They can not forcefully take him anywhere. City social workers visit homeless people and try to talk them into going to shelters, etc, especially in winter, but many refuse as they don´t want to stick to a schedule, etc. There is also a big percentage of homeless people that were actually in mental institutions, and because they are not dangerous have been set free, so to speak. At any local church they get blankets, coats, etc but generally they dump them in the garbage after a few uses because they cannot carry everything around.

It's the same sad story here in Toronto, where my ex-wife worked for one of the 40-odd (no kidding) agencies who try to assist the homeless. Hard for most of us to imagine, but many of them live and sleep "rough" by choice, refusing even the minimal demands made on them by shelters. As you might expect, in this climate it becomes extremely dangerous for them in winter, and on the really cold nights the city deliberately leaves many heated facilities open all night so they can come in and get warm.

 

[citygirl]

Shelters unfortunately can be very dangerous places, esp for women. Many choose to stay on the streets for safety reasons, as illogical as that sounds. And yes, I would say a vast majority have mental illnesses and/or addictions (chicken and egg which came first).

The thing that really breaks my heart are the elderly and the children. The worst is after I read an undercover expose about how those women with babies on the street drug the babies to keep them quiet while asking for money, I can't stop thinking about it. And it's true, you never see those kids make a peep or move at all.