6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS HOMELESSNESS FEBRUARY 24, 2023 Homelessness — a change in dispostion, a change for the best MOHAMMED AHMED Groundcover contributor Homelessness creeps up on us; right now, somewhere on this planet, someone is being served with employment termination papers or they are losing their business or source of income, and their rent or mortgage is past due, with no option but eviction or foreclosure in sight. I am going through it right now. I continue to be amazed by the boundlessness of human generosity and kindness. Here is the thing, my friend: organization is sophistication. If you are an organized person who is solution-based, you will power through it on your own with the available resources. But if you are an introvert who has social anxiety and prefers to distance yourself from social interactions, the guide below will help you. What do you do when your husband, boyfriend, mother, landlord, grandma, girlfriend, fiancé, wife or whomever you were living with kicks you out, or somehow your circumstances change and you are homeless with no money for a hotel, no car, no friends, no family, no savings and only $5 to your name? 1. Google and find your local homeless shelter and go. If it's winter, inquire about warming centers, warming shelters and rotating shelters, as one needs a warm place to sleep. Additionally, at your local homeless shelters you'll find a supply of clean undergarments and socks, toiletries, bus tokens and discounted transportation cards, bicycles, free clinics, a slew of donated items ranging from food to clothing to shoes, and assistance with obtaining an ID. The best homelessness perk I ever got was a foot massage from a University of Michigan Medical School student, through the foot clinic program. God bless her, she will make one fine physician. Also Google and contact your local housing homelessness and shelter authority. I haven’t been homeless in the summer yet, but except for warming and rotating shelters, the advice is the same. You might find cooling shelters in summer. 2. Join a gym. When you're homeless, your biggest battle is against time, and your main enemy is idleness; so keeping occupied and finding a warm place if it's winter or an air-conditioned place if it's summer through a gym is a triple win, and here's why: Planet Fitness is open 24 hours a day, and the YMCA is open most days of the week. The gym gives you access to a clean place to shower and store clean clothes for work and social events. In addition, working out is fun. I like to go there two or three times a day. It is also a place to meet new people, make new friends, and develop both social and economic connections and opportunities. When I had shelter, I rarely visited the gym. 3. Find gainful employment: Being homeless does not mean you have to stop working; you can continue to go to work if you have a job. Figure out which bus route is best for you; understand the bus schedule so you know exactly how much time you need from bed to bus stop with all the intricacies in between. Google Maps has an option where you can choose your arrival time, and the application will tell you what time to start your bus trip. In my personal experience, I have been heavily reliant on temporary employment, or "gig apps," as I call them, where businesses advertise their daily labor needs, which I can apply for and fill on the same day. Pay is either instant, daily or the day after, which keeps constant money in my pocket for me to take care of my needs as a modern man. I recommend checking out Instawork, Wonlo, Veryable, Hyer, Adia, Bacon, Gigsmart, We Work. All of these apps are awesome for making income. Secret shopper apps as well. 4. Food: eat less; be less indulgent. Recognize that food is a fuel source rather than a delicacy. Look for local food banks and pantries. Most homeless shelters provide two meals a day and religious organizations will provide free breakfast services. Certain restaurateurs in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area will place unclaimed delivery orders in front of their establishments for those in need to take free of charge. 5. Physical appearance merits attention. As a general respect for society, troubles, degree of destitution or lack of comforts should not be visible in one’s physical appearance. Homeless shelters often have agreements that provide a voucher to purchase needed clothing at the local Salvation Army and/or thrift stores. A respectful appearance and a well-groomed and well-kept demeanor will get you a long way in life. I do laundry in a twoweek cycle, budgeted for and organized. I also keep two colognes, use non-scented deodorants, always use lotions, and use my personal nail and grooming kit on a weekly basis. Fingernails, especially if they are long, must be kept clean. Looking good will lead to self-esteem appreciation, which will in turn make you smile, which will in turn lead to a succession of reciprocating smiles. Homelessness helped me get rid of a lot of bad behavior, such as narcissism, greed, selfishness and close-mindedness. I’ve developed a general appreciation for my fellow humans regardless of their whatever, and it's beautiful. Homelessness is a catalyst for a better you. Once you master coming out of it — whether to a lease or a title deed in your own name or to a federal housing voucher, you will be a more organized, more athletic and more economically upwardly mobile individual with more defined goals and dreams and the confidence to match and achieve them. "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal." — Earl Nightingale Ahmed recommends using gig apps like Wonlo (top right), Instawork (middle right), Veryable (right bottom) and Gigsmart The Ann Arbor YMCA offers financial assistance for membership on a case-by-case basis, based on gross annual income, household size and special circumstances. They utilize Housing and Urban Development income data in Washtenaw County in order to distribute aid in a way that reflects the community. Contact nmoorehouse@annarborymca. org for more details. (above) to find work on a day to day basis. Selling and writing for Groundcover News also offers flexible employment for people experiencing homelessness.
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