what homeless people need
Before trying to help out, I think people need to understand that there are COUNTLESS ways to be unhoused. The "my mom's kinda homeless" meme is actually pretty common (couchsurfing at friends' places, moving from motel to motel, etc).
I think there are three main categories that reach out to outreach/donation resources:
1. People living on the street
2. People living in their cars
3. Homeless people living in shelters
I hope you can begin to see why these three groups have VASTLY different needs.
1. Streets: Zero safe storage in most cases. You only have access to what you can carry on your bike, on a bike, or something else you buy/come up with. Most difficulty with hygiene, shopping, and healthy meals. Completely vulnerable to the weather without having a place to keep a wardrobe that can handle it all. Hard to access bathrooms if they stay in one area and places catch on ("Bathrooms for Paying Customers" only signs).
2. Cars: High risk because most only pay for gas and skip other essentials like car insurance and registration. Cars near my shelter got towed and most people can't get them back because they are years behind on registration fees. BUT, as long as you have a car you have a decently safe place to sleep. Gas is the hardest thing to come by as of writing (5/18/26) and California offers low-cost auto-insurance for people with low income. I met MANY people working at grocery stores, restaurants, and retirees who lived in their cars. In California, if you know where to look and what to look for you'll see a pattern of which spots are safe overnight parking. Rent is too darn high, so car is the next go to.
3. Shelter: May or may not have a car. but shelters often have shuttles, lockers, bathroom (and shower) access, and three meals a day (game over if you have dietary restrictions in most cases though). Have a mailing address and access to staff and on-site case managers usually.
Okay, so lets look at the biggest concerns/needs for each category (off the top of my head):
ALL unhoused people: Battery packs/powerbanks (MAJOR), supermarket gift cards, free weather-appropriate and lightly used clothing, menstrual products, support with accessing dental and other medical care.
1. Streets: Hygiene, so disposable bathing wipes and access to showers is KEY. There is no consistent private place to clean up like Cars. Gift cards for fast food or supermarkets are great. Fast food is better though, simply because those are more common and more accessible (look at the parking lot in front of Carl's Jr vs in front of Walmart... now imagine having to walk across that with all your stuff). Sturdy large camping backpacks. Everything you give, try to make it as pocket sized and compact as you can (think folding toothbrushes, mini toothpastes you give every few days, etc). Bus/public transport passes.
2. Cars: Access to showers is nice, but (speaking from experience) we can clean up in our cars more easily. Compact folding toilets and accessories for them are great (small, sturdy trash bags, and absorbent camping gels to reduce odor from waste). Gas cards. All the gas cards. Cooler boxes and ice for fresh food. Blankets and pillows to sleep well in the car. Window covers/shades for the car for privacy. Oil changes, auto insurance payment help, and general car maintenance. (Someone please help me with new tires ahhhh)
3. Shelter: We have access to showers, toilets, and charging stations now! Whooo! But we still need battery packs because there's often 2 charging stations for every 50 people (this is a generous estimate). Most shelters have bunk beds too, a distance from any walls or outlets. Think about not having something to charge your phone, tablet, or laptop with all night. I just lost my job and had to spend money on a 65W powerbank because anything less wasn't recognized by my laptop. Also re: laptops: please give out NIMO laptops. I bought one with my own money when I got a job, and it's the best budget laptop I've ever had. It outperforms more expensive ones I've had too. Having a laptop for those enrolled in school, or simply having one to borrow for filling out forms is MAJOR. I had to use a tablet and bluetooth keyboard for forms and homework before my laptop and it SUCKED. Many people at shelters have cars, so the car-related things apply too.
For shelters the following are also nice:
Ear plugs
Eye masks (it's never completely dark at night)
Slides/sandals for the showers
Personal washcloths and towels
Lockboxes (for medication and valuables. Has to be plastic to be allowed in)
Laundry bags (for protecting items from the brutal but FREE washers and dryers)
Combination locks (even if you get a locker, not all shelters provide the lock)
Pillows AND blankets: Most people here don't have pillows here. They've been unavailable for months here. All I got my first night was a flat sheet. I was freezing and had to ask to go to my car to get a big blanket a friend had given me :') That friend is one of two people I'm open with being homeless with, outside of my health team (physical and mental).
I'm tuckered out, so that's all for now. I'll just say this: most people can't tell when someone is experiencing #2 or #3. And remember: there are countless other ways to be unhoused.
Above all: donate powerbanks to homeless people. Enough for at least 2 full phone charges.
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