- Make eye contact and smile. One of the most painful aspects of life on the streets is that everyone looks the other way. Respect the dignity of this person who is made in the image of God — it might be Jesus in disguise (Matthew 25:40).
- Give supplies rather than money, offer them food, water bottle and/or a gift card to a restaurant so they have a place to get out of the heat or cold. Some people store a goodie bag in their car with non-perishable food, socks and basic hygiene supplies.
- Connect the person with local resources. Give them the number for Compassionate Hands — 615.784.9897. We'll host them during the winter and connect them with resources year-round.
- Pray. Ask the person if they have prayer needs. AND ask them to pray for your life as well — you might be surprised how God blesses you through this encounter.
- Organize your neighbors and invite a speaker to talk about real solutions to homelessness, and how everyone can play an important role in building a better future for Wilson County ·
- Educate yourself. Stay connected with local nonprofits leading the charge to address homelessness.
There are currently 3.5 million people that experience homelessness in a given year in the United States alone.
Almost 600,000 men, women, and children are homeless each night in the United States.
Each and every night somewhere in the state of Tennessee 8,000+ people will experience homelessness.
In 2017-18, 79 men and 22 women spent at least one night in a Compassionate Hands shelter.
