There are many items a homeless person needs, whether they are a rough sleeper or not, especially depending on the time of year and the weather. Here are some ideas of what you can easily provide to a homeless person to make a difference in their life. 

Blankets

A blanket is one of the essential items you can donate to a homeless person. They can be used for warmth and as a place to sleep, as well as a blanket that will protect items that the homeless person has with them.

Donate blankets to your local charity store or department store. These places often have blankets that are in good condition and can be given away for free.

Ask your friends and family members if they have any extra blankets that they're willing to donate. It doesn't matter how old or ugly the blanket is. What matters most is that it will keep someone warm on cold nights.

Food

The most critical thing homeless people need is food. It's also the easiest to get and doesn't require any particular skill or training. All you have to do is make sure there's food available and then give it away for free. If you do this right, the recipients will likely be grateful enough that they'll tell their friends about your generosity and help spread the word about your good deeds.

This kind of publicity can also help get more donations flowing in your direction, which means even more people will benefit from your actions. Many major companies have donated large amounts of food without being asked—they just want to do something good. So if all goes well, more free food will be given to those in need. 

Water

Water is vital for everyone, but it's imperative to the homeless. It can be challenging to stay healthy and maintain good hygiene without clean water. You'll want to ensure they have access to a reliable supply of fresh water; this helps them stay clean, so they don't get infections or diseases.

It's also helpful in cooking food and washing dishes. If the homeless person will be living in your home temporarily (as opposed to staying with you forever), it's a good idea for them to have their hygiene items like shampoo, toothpaste, soap and toilet paper—even a small bar of soap.

A tent

A tent is a portable shelter that allows you to live outdoors without exposure. It can be used for many purposes, including:

Protection from the elements. Tents are most commonly used as temporary shelters that protect against rain, wind and snow. They also provide shade from the sun, which can help keep you cool on hot days.

Privacy. In crowded homeless campsites, it's important to have somewhere private where you can get away from others if need be; a tent provides this privacy by blocking out sights and sounds outside of its walls (although some tents don't offer much in terms of soundproofing).

Safety during bad weather conditions such as severe thunderstorms or tornadoes. A tent offers shelter from dangerous natural forces if there isn't anywhere else nearby where people could take refuge together safely indoors.

However, keep in mind that not all tents are made equal, so make sure yours has adequate protection before using it during extreme weather events!

Clothing

You need clothing. You need clothes. You need something to wear. Clothes keep you warm in the winter and can also keep you cool in the summer if made out of a light material like linen or cotton. 

A lot of people sleep rough in the same clothes for days on end. In winter, this means they are at risk of developing hypothermia. New socks and underwear can help to keep them warm.

A place to charge your phone

A phone is a vital tool to stay safe and find help. However, if you are homeless, you may have had your phone stolen, or it might not be working correctly. You'll need to charge it to use it, but finding a place to let you do this can be difficult if you don't have any money.

If someone gives you some money for your phone bill and tells you where there's free Wi-Fi, call them up. They should help set up things so that charging stations are available at all times when the weather permits (so people don't freeze).

Sometimes it is easy to help the homeless.

Sometimes it is easy to help the homeless. You can donate food, clothes, tents, blankets and water. If you are one of those people who would like to do more than just donate money or food, you could also help by donating a place to charge your phone so they can keep in touch with family and friends or a tent to have shelter at night.

Another way to help them is by giving them a place where they can sleep while they are on the street or even offering up your home as temporary housing until they get back on their feet again.

Giving money to people rough sleeping

Greater Change believes this is a personal decision for you to make. Money may help. Do be aware though, that there are risks, such as:

• Exploitation: Rough sleeping is a dangerous and vulnerable situation. Some people are forced to beg by gangs, and the gang takes the money from the person. The funds given can fuel and incentivise this exploitation. 
• Professional begging: Many people who beg are not truly rough sleepers or homeless at all. Most people want money given to help someone homeless, not a professional beggar. 

If you want to support someone but without the risks, Greater Change enables this. We've written in more detail on the topic of whether you should give cash.

Donate money to charities helping rough sleepers 

Donating to a charity is an obvious step for those who can afford to. Money tends to be more beneficial than things; don't buy brand-new stuff to give to a charity. It would be a kind thing to do, but the money you spend is more useful to the charity. The charity is better placed to spend the money on what they need.

If you would like to donate, there are many excellent homeless charities. At Greater Change, we focus on supporting an individual's financial needs, eg. providing rent deposits, skills courses, identification documents etc. You can see some of the people we are supporting and what they are saving for here.

Some charities also use donations to lobby for better policies and research. Given we work with lots of partners, and they're all great, we don't want to recommend one over another!

However, you could Google 'homelessness charity' followed by what's important to you to find somewhere that suits your preferences. For example, 'homeless charity, research' or 'homeless charity, lobbying'.

Keep in mind, though that with this method you may miss smaller organisations, to find those, you will probably need to ask around in your community. You could also use the charity commission to search 'homeless charity' and apply a location filter. 

Conclusion

The list of things homeless people need is very long. Clothing, food, shelter and many other items are required. If you want to help homeless people in your community, think about donating some of these items to local shelters or agencies that work with the homeless.

You may also be able to find a volunteer group that helps provide goods for homeless people in your area. Find out more about volunteering and let's talk about homelessness together.

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