The homeless problem?

This isn't a moany topic for me to ramble on about at all and of course will always do what i can to help people who find themselves without a home for the night, or even if it's a long term problem.

I'll begin by explaining what happend. I have wanted to record a video for youtube about this, but i've never found the right words to explain to you what has happend, which lead me to take the actions i have done.

Basically, while on a night out, during the cold winter the UK now seems to be getting over, me and a friend made our way over to the local train station, to phone for a taxi. My friend wanted some chips, so off we went to the chippy near and while she was inside, i stayed out in the street. I noticed over the road that someone was getting settled in a doorway, as in, settled for a night there. He wasn't one of the town's drunk party people, judging by his clothes, he was homeless on a long term basis.

I made it inside to ask my friend for her phone and through google i managed to find the none emergency police telephone number for the area and gave them a call. I explained what i'd seen and gave a description of what this man was like. About 15 minutes later, as our taxi pulled in to take us home, i saw two police officers go over to the man, presumeably prompted by my call. We got into our taxi and as we drove off, i saw this man getting up to go and walk with the officers. It was only a few days later that i'd called back and i was told that they found him a shelter to stay in for the night.

It felt kind of good, knowing that i'd helped him without him even knowing me or speaking to me.

Since then, i've seen more homeless people in this local town and of course spoken with the police many a time about getting them some help and i've got to say, it's really heart warming to see the police helping out these people. Fair enough, i may make the calls, but they're the one's who actually go out to these people and get them the help they need.

But is this a growing problem?

In my experiance, yes it is. Statistically, i'm not too sure because how can you measure how many people are homeless? But it is something that needs to be delt with.

Of course people are going to be homeless for all kinds of reasons. The most common excuse people assign to homeless people is drugs, but in most cases it'll be something like financial status', family issues etc. While yes there's help out there for these people, is it enough?

I personally wouldn't have a clue where the nearest soup kitchen was or where the nearest homeless shelter is, if i was to be made homeless right now. I know that charities exist to help homeless people, i wouldn't know their names etc.

So what can people like me do?

On a serious note, some of these people may not know where to turn and it may fall down to a little nudge from you for them to get the help they need. Never be affraid to contact your NONE EMERGENCY police department, unless of course there's an ongoing incident in which case then yes, use the 999 number in the UK, 911 for America etc. Speak to the police and ask them to help, when they have available officer's, they really do send some people to help. These officer's are able to not only take these people somewhere abit safer, but they are also the one's who can sit down with these people and try to help them tackle the issues that are keeping them homeless.

If we all did a little more, then we ok, wouldn't get rid of homelessness, but we'd certainly reduce the numbers of people at risk every night. It doesn't cost much to make a simple call and you never know, you could just save someones life :)