Ask Lemmy

The first thing you need to do is not personalize societal failure as your personal problem. Don’t put too much on yourself.

If you’re looking to donate, partner with local groups who are making a difference. They’ll know what the local needs are right now. It’s a neverending problem, but certainly more acute right now.

Yo! I am unsure on how to maximize your help but I just want to say people like you are the real heroes. Thank you!

You are a good human.

I have heard clean dry socks and shoes are a huge necessity since your extremities get cold the fastest, especially if it's expected to snow or rain.

Thrift store blankets, gloves, and coats? Definitely take them home and wash them first.

If you can get some MREs (meals ready-to-eat), those might be a good option for hot food you can give out. That way the meals are hot when they want them.

Whatever you end up doing, I applaud your efforts.

Edit: Yes, donating to a local shelter is nice, but OP specifically said they wanted to help those who could not take make it to a shelter.

I would take that over to the thrift store and buy as many coats as I could get, or you could take it to a warming shelter and let them use as they need.

Thank you for being a kind human, I only wish I had the funds to do the same before this cold snap hit.

First things that comes to mind about staying warm in cold weather is wool instead of synthetics/cotton and mittens rather than gloves.

For insulating stuff: dry socks, waterproof boots and gloves, blankets, sleeping bags, jackets, CLEAN cardboard layered several inches thick and sealed in plastic (wrap or trash bag) for use as a make shift sleeping pad.

For shelter: tents and tarps are always in demand. Just cutting the wind will help a lot and a tent can provide minimal insulation.

For active heating: Sternos, candles (once the wax is melted mix in hand sanitizer for a warmer heat), those hand warmer things, propane camping stoves (DANGEROUS. They are very effective, but 100% will be used in tents or under tarps which can very easily cause a fire or ventilation issues), you can also buy some 1lbs propane tanks and fill hose to siphon gas from a larger 20lbs tank (this might be illegal where you are).

You might want to check if any moving companies have some old blankets they are willing to donate (used to protect furniture, but if they toss them when they wear out can be useful for warmth or bedding). Also call up local theaters, zoos, aquariums, etc and ask if they would be willing to donate unclaimed lost and found clothing. This can be a good source of jackets. Also worth seeing what's in your thrift stores, especially if you have a smaller local one instead of Goodwill.

I recommend distroing cinder blocks along with the Sternos or candles. You can place those inside the block (so the flame hits the inside of the top) which helps contain the flame and resists getting knocked over. Another option is to hot glue some empty cans to a large flat piece of plywood. This cannot tip over even when kicked so it will provide a simple place for the heat producer to go. Just keep in mind not all unhoused people will want those safety devices as they are heavy and cumbersome, so don't get disheartened if they are turned down, but it doesn't hurt to have a few available and be prepared to demonstrate.

If you do choose to provide candles, Sternos, or ovens, be sure to also provide matches or lighters.

Oatmeal also is pretty easy to make and can serve several people. I use a stock pot and can cook about half a large container in one go, just dump it into some sealable bowls or whatever and serve it out of your trunk.

Provide them housing. It is effective and cheap in the sense that it can help a lot of people get back on their feet, which is worth a lot of taxes besides the basic human decency. Remember this until the next time you vote.

For those who sleep outside and on the ground I'd say buy them insulated sleeping pads. I have a bit of experience camping during very cold temperatures. Insulating oneself from the ground is as essential as a blanket. Thermarest pads are going for as little as $10 on Ebay to $40 new at Dicks.

You are a kind person, but as others have said try not to take on this large burden yourself. Do what you’re comfortable with and be satisfied with that. This is an ongoing and largely intractable problem that you cannot solve alone.

I'd like to add in emergency blankets, didn't notice them in the other comments. They're cheap, take up little space, and can provide some extra warmth and water resistance to jackets/blankets/tents. I pass them around like candy in my area

Edit: Looks like I'm talking the same thing as thermal blankets, I've just always heard them referred to as emergency blankets

I'm not an expert but I've given out blankets and hand warmers before. They were very much appreciated

Vote.

I thought about a lot of variants, but I stopped at a gas can, a simple device to make the gas out and a basic tripod to weight a pot over it. If they have it, they can boil water for tea or just clean water, food bought in bulk in a grocery store, to wash themselves.

It greatly depends on what they have for now. Maybe a tent is in more priority if they don't have one, or even something to lay on.

Find information about where warming shelters are, and distribute that information. Pass the information along.

Also obviously if you have any cold weather gear you can spare, that’s helpful.

~~Honestly? Just give the $200 to the shelter to spend on whatever they think they need. As someone who used to volunteer at a no-kill shelter, everybody wants to donate a bag of dog food but no one wants to donate cash. After a certain point, we were throwing away old stock of unopened dog food because we ran out of storage for it.~~

Edit: completely misread the part about helping people specifically not in a shelter. My main point still stands though, I think most unhoused people would take the cash over material goods.