Donated Lives... Donation Living

 Donated Lives:

~ Donation Living ~

(For) most of us, we never give much thought to donations, what is donated, 

where donations go-- until you find yourself on the receiving end and in need of

donations to exist when you are forced into a different existence where 

donations become your very livelihood, something you must rely

on for just about everything when your roof expands and opens up to

become the skies above and your walls fold out into Nature's

Embrace, as you are surrounded by Her Beautiful Creatures--

Donations become an absolute necessity, but parceled out

in unequal, uneven and unfair amounts.
Some church's idea of a "Hygiene Bag" consists of only a baggie of 
condoms and a toothbrush.  When I have received these, it goes right into 
the trash, I have no use for such junk, I need things I can use, like soap, 
and shampoo, clothes... 

Some places requiring a "referral" from some State or County

"Agency", or Church, in order to get even a single article of needed clothing, 

food, or transportation assistance for the bus.

Some places only allowing for an exchange for one item needed, for something 

you are wearing and need.  Claiming they could not just let people 

come in and take whatever they want.  That in order to get something 

you need, you need to give something you are using and need to "balance" 

it out for everyone.  

Makes perfect sense, doesn't it??

Clothing and toiletries are the most needed, yet hardest to come by 

necessities and rarely are you able to actually find something that really works, 

fits and is useful.People donate anything and everything with little or 
no thought or regard to about what they are donating.

Most only caring about the write-off they will get 

in exchange for "donating" the items they have.

--Life takes on a whole different meaning and texture when you have to rely

fully on donations for your barest essentials...  especially, when you are female.

At times, I have had to play Musical Hotels/Inns/Motels in order to get 

some much needed items to clean up, at least in some regard.

Only on occasion, when absolutely necessary, will I go into some place 

and present myself as though I know what I am doing and where I am going, 

Looking like I am staying in the place, head up to a different floor, wait a bit, 
then head back to the desk, once I have dropped my bags off before 
coming back down, then asking for some toiletries that were not placed 
in my "room".  Rarely have I been asked what room I am in.  But when the 
occasion has arisen to being asked, I just give a random number, 
hoping they actually have that room number.

Sometimes, I get real lucky and come at a time when housekeeping are

making their rounds.  And I'll go to their carts and ask for some supplies.

Always giving me a good, large handful.  Most people never bother using 
these items, they may collect them as "souvenirs", but rarely, if ever, 
actually use or need these items. But when your home is in the outdoor 
arena, these items are treasures to covet.

They are easy to keep in your pockets, take up little space and can

be placed in pockets all over the place.  So you can always have access to

something.  The only bad things about these items are their 

packaging.  More than once the little bottles of lotion, shampoos or soaps 

break or turn upside down, and the caps somehow twist off, causing a bit 

of a mess.  It becomes quite obvious when you start seeing bubbles come out in 

different areas of your bags when it rains.  Not realizing until then what happened.

That's always fun.  Self-cleaning bags. But it is par of the course and 
one of the many hazards of being out here.

Renee Bowen

Homeless since Sept. 1, 2000

Copyright 2011