Don't go Homeless on a Holiday

Wow, I didn't realize how difficult it would be to find breakfast this morning.  Manchester's shelter home, New Horizons, only serves breakfast to their overnight clients (at 5:30AM).  I called around to local food pantries, transitional shelters, and soup kitchens for places to find a morning meal and all I got was an answering machine or "the one I need to talk isn't in today due to the holiday".  If I can't get something to eat through community resources, what do I do next?  OK, there's dumpster diving, but why not panhandling? To avoid the possibility of being arrested and having to request bail money from all my followers, I figured I better inform the Manchester Police Department.  I went to the department and talked to the receptionist and she said "it shouldn't be a problem, just give us documentation about your project, and let us know when and where you plan on doing it."  So, when I went back to give her my information about the project, I was greeted by the lieutenant on duty to inform me they would not allow me to panhandle legally.  The police officer informed me it's becoming a real problem.  Panhandlers are being arrested.  It's "disrupting the flow of traffic" when they are at cross roads, stop lights, and stepping into roadways asking for money.  MPD finds this an increasing problem and has been taking police officers away from other important issue in the city.  Did you know panhandlers make about $200 dollars a day off South Willow Street in Manchester?  That's less than eight hours of begging and not having to pay the IRS.  Just don't get arrested.

Looking for Followers and Sponsors!

WHERE HAS THE ECONOMY LEFT US? FAMILIES WHO HAVE HAD HOMES, STABLE JOBS, HAVE LOST WHAT THEY’VE WORKED SO HARD FOR. I’M GOING ON THE ROAD FOR A WEEK TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WHO ARE NOW HOMELESS AND HUNGRY. IS THERE ANY ROOM LEFT IN THE SHELTERS? ARE THE SHELVES EMPTY AT THE FOOD BANKS NOW THAT THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER?

Individuals and families are and have been struggling.  Whether it started with a layoff, the stock market crash, losing a spouse, or from inflation on fuel and food prices, it hasn’t been easy.  No matter how hard they have tried, they just couldn’t win, and have had to give up a lot, or everything. 

I will be leaving my home for a week to live in the world of the homeless, the homeless who had much but couldn’t hold on to it. The Extreme Coupon Professors will be giving me some resources from the coupon world but in no way does that keep me warm in frigid December temperatures.  

I will be using my own vehicle and carrying minimal supplies with me.  The Extreme Coupon Professors are providing me with a gas card to fray the costs as I raise awareness throughout the state of New Hampshire.  I will be traveling approximately 600 miles to help raise awareness and funds for the NH Food Bank, homeless shelters and animal rescue organizations.

My gear and supplies will be minimal.  I will have one of my dogs with me and in reality homeless people have animals or had animals too.  I also have dietary requirements, which raises concerns on eating healthy while being on the road homeless. This will be a challenge for me to find “healthy” food with the use of coupons and with limited resources in New Hampshire. Have the cheaper, processed foods won over nutrients and preventive foods? Has the ability to make healthy food choices disappeared while living in a recession? Within this trip, I will find out what shelters homes and food pantries have on their shelves after the holidays.  In addition to finding resources in this recession, I will be seeking and applying for jobs to investigate the market while I live on the road.  Can you find work in this economic recession? We will see…

Our project will run from December 26^th-January 2^nd, I will be photographing, filming, and making journal entries of the experience.  This experience is to raise awareness on eating healthy, finding resources, documenting the struggles of survival in this economy, and to provide information on what you can do to help your state.

Please follow and or sponsor me on this project.  Thanks!