Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

Yes Muddy.

I should have said 'Many rich people'
I know so many very nice people that use drugs for recreational purposes,including Consultant Surgeons, Directors,Civil Servants, usually smoking weed
It seems to be the normal practice for them,and I have been offered drugs in their presence,they do not consider it harmful.

However I am not interested, and do not smoke or drink
I just wondered what was lacking in their lives.

Perhaps i should ask them?

Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

How much time have you spent helping out in homeless shelters?

Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

Since 1973 (ish) when I started working with the St Mungo community in London. How about you?

(Might have been 1969 ish actually to be honest I forget)

Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

And none had any drug or alcohol problems?
ETA
I have never spent any time with homeless people in the UK but have in Central America .
The problems there are similar mental issues drugs and alcohol.
Only in Central America it's not cold.

Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

I won't give money to street people Bruce that's what I have said. I don't buy class drugs or alcohol for people and if you give these people money, that's effectively what you are doing.

I do give them food and drink at times. Two Christmases ago I spent roughly £700 buying 100 or so canvas bags plus lots of useful things to go in them including underwear, toiletries, toothbrushes, tooth paste, shower gels, wet wipes, sterile wound wipes, socks, gloves, scarfs, emergency foil blankets and so on. It took a lot of organisation, a lot of negotiation with wholesalers, a lot of personal time.

The same year I gave up my Christmas.

I spent Christmas Eve working at the support centre cooking meals for 100 people.

I spent Christmas day there cooking a full Christmas dinner for the same 100 people

I spent Boxing Day there cooking lunch for the 100 guests

Then got a couple of free days to myself before then being called back because other volunteers had pulled out. So another 2 days cooking and providing teas, coffees and soft drinks.

I have given plenty to many of these street people but I am wiser now and understand what they do with it. Most of what you give them is quickly sold down the market for a few quid which goes towards their next drug or drink fix.

That's just how it is.

You live and you learn.

Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

Personally, I don't believe many aspire to be 'rich'. All most people aspire to is to have a good, secure job, be in a position to pay their mortgage/rent every month, pay their bills as and when they are due, have a reliable car to get them around, put their child/children into a school of their choice, do a weekly shop at the shop of their choice, have minimum, one week's holiday a year at the destination of their choice, and have enough money in their bank account to help them in the event of an emergency.

If most people could reach this goal, the world would be a much happier place.

Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

Hear, hear.

Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

I take it from what you say that yours is not an ongoing/long term commitment.

Australia has a long tradition of volunteering; State Emergency Service, Rural/Bush Fire brigades, Coast Guard, Life Saving are all volunteer organisations none of which I have volunteered for.

My own personal volunteering was largely with non sectarian homeless and disadvantaged persons organisations over most of my working life (with a few years off here and there for family life). Since I retired however my time is taken up with a couple of seniors' organisations with a focus on Elder Abuse, security, health, transport and lobbying at a state and federal level.

I am a great believer in volunteering but it needs an ongoing commitment and is not for everybody.

Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

It's entirely up to each volunteer and the needs of the support centre. Centres here have many volunteers working on rotas as well as fully paid dedicated permanent staff. Each centre has its own environment, caters for its own demographic of guests and has its own rules and protocols. It makes sense for volunteers to try a few of them to find the one that best suits them.

The 3 I have worked in are all very different but to some extent involve the same demographic which is a mix of street people, drink/drug addicts and vulnerable people.

Having experienced that I'm now more inclined to try a different demographic. Not because I don't like or care for those people but more because none of the centres are making any decent headway in terms of curing these people. The centres help them with getting accommodation, filling in forms, opening bank accounts for their benefits and they give them daily meals and assorted items of clothing.
Overall the guests are not progressing. They are just being made comfortable which gives them zero incentive to get out of the lifestyle they have become accustomed to.

For myself personally, I want to be making a difference and I have found that these support centres are not making that difference. In 3 years I haven't seen a single person succeed in giving up their addictions and leaving the support centres. The same people just keep coming back, going from one support centre to the next. The support they need rehab, social support etc just doesn't exist sadly.

So I am now minded to volunteer for something completely different such as disabled children or the elderly.


I agree to an extent. You do need a foundation of volunteers you can rely on otherwise you can't operate an effective service. Further, you need a minimum number of people in a support centre to be able to safely manage the guests. If the number of volunteers drops below that number in my last support centre, then it simply does not open.

Re: Why the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor

Hats off to you both gentlemen !
Well done .
I used to volunteer a lot during my life abroad with the elderly children and animals .
I have to say all gave me as much if not more to me than i to them . There is a satisfaction in helping others .
It's good for the soul.
Now I live in a village and help no one .
No one needs help or maybe they do but would die rather than admit it .
You can't even listen to children read without a police certificate .
The animal homes only want you to run their charity shops .
Which is ok I supose but not for a hands on animal person like myself.
There is a town some some 20 miles away where there is an open door charity for the homeless . I did apply but they do as you say Realist want commitment how many hours and days are you going to put in etc and the application form was endless .
I don't want to be tied I supose
So at the end of the day my help to others is donations
Pretty unsatisfactory but better than nothing .
My latest attempt to do some good is Pets for therapy as my dog is so good and loves people .
But they won't take any dogs who eat raw food .
( In case they spread salmonella)
And -the dog must have up to date vaccinations.
As I don't agree with putting vaccines into man or beast every year -after the infant /puppy time this counts me out of this idea.