How We Do What We Do (In A Very Tiny Nutshell) :-))!

1) We go into the streets “looking” for one to help, one that stands out or we are referred to one by another Friend In Need. They can be someone in the streets and homeless or just even someone who is in a tough situation and is having some sort of trouble and is in need at home.


2) We see if the person wants to talk. If they are not ready, we will come back again another day. If they will talk, we ask if they are needing any help, what they are needing help with, what they may need, if they are hungry and so on. We do a lot of “observing” to see if they are dehydrated from too much alcohol etc and lack of food for instance. We observe their body language and actions. We observe their conversation. We are not here to just hand them something and leave and not come back. We are there to determine if we can give them permanent results. Once we have observed enough, we attempt to advise our “friend In Need if we feel we can be of help to them. We are mainly after permanent results. If they want to live in the streets and are satisfied there we look further and maybe end up coming back to them another day. If they seem dangerously hungry then we will give them a meal or if maybe they are just to depressed and hungry we may take them for a meal. There is a lot of energy that goes into this visit and it must be done with a sense of urgency.

3) If we have determined we can help the friend in need we will ask if they would like to go get a shower. If they do, then we will take them to a truck stop and pay for their shower and maybe a snack, smokes etc. This keeps them comfortable for the night so they feel good the next day and have something to look forward to when we see them again in a few days or sooner if needed.

4) When we see this friend in need again, we ask if they would like a haircut. If so we either take them or make a time to do so for the next day.

5) We ask again what they are needing, wanting to work on, like maybe ID’s, SS card, food stamps etc and determine if we can help them with that and make a time to do so.

6) If they are hungry on this visit we might take them and sit and have a meal somewhere with them. McDonalds, Subway or whatever they feel they could eat or like to eat within reason.

7) From here we see if they are still serious about getting off the streets. If they are this is when we start our more intense one on one daily contact with the friend in need, and when we say daily we mean in the morning, afternoon, evening and middle of the night contact like midnight or 2am if needed and we do not let up until we have gained what we are after for them, which is……

Permanent Results—Self Reliant-UP&OUT of the Chronic Assistance Cycle , including free of us at Straight Ahead Outreach.