Local Volunteers Provide Supplies to Homeless in San Diego

It was almost like a military operation.

Jack Doxey was teased by volunteers for being so organized, with his "A" team and "B" team lists, his map, briefing and debriefing. Everyone's name was listed and spelled correctly. There were directions, phone numbers and a time schedule.

Doxey took the ribbing in stride, dishing it right back in his New York accent.

It was a recent Saturday night and I was invited to go on a field trip to research for a story. Veterans for Peace and Outreach for Humanity were gathering volunteers and supplies and heading for Luigi's Pizzeria in Golden Hill, south of Balboa Park.

Since the issue of homelessness interests me, I tagged along to see how these two groups approach it. In another story on Patch one day, I'll talk about the work of at least one local church with the downtown homeless.

At Luigi's there was a briefing heard above the gulping down of whopping slices of pepperoni or basil with feta cheese. It was a congenial assembly, telling tales, catching up, with big smiles and a few hugs.

Then, paperwork in hand, they were off into the sunset — several cars of volunteers from throughout San Diego county, including Tetsuo Matsui of Ramona. He is among several Ramonans who volunteer with the veterans.

The others ribbed Matsui about his sense of direction around downtown and he chuckled. At age 80, Matsui is a retired ichthologist who worked at Scripps Institute of Oceanography. He complained about the GPS in his bright red Prius all the way "down the hill" from Ramona as he regaled me with stories of studying fish offshore various Pacific nations and drinking beer with the Australians in Darwin.

Just how many sleeping bags will fit in the back of a Prius? As many as you can pile in.

The trunks of other cars were loaded with bags of toiletries, sack lunches, water bottles, white athletic socks and a few backpacks. The sleeping bags were in rucksacks that could fit other supplies to be carried on the backs or bicycles of those living under the bridges and in the storefronts of downtown San Diego.

All the items were brand new.

"Be careful," one participant warned me before I left. Though I can be naiive, an encounter years ago in which a man on Pacific Highway pulled a big knife on me in broad daylight has left me understanding that not everyone has the same mindset as I do.

I stuck like glue to the others. I was there to observe, maybe shoot some images and to tell their story.

But I have an informal policy that goes something like this. If I were living on the streets, I wouldn't want a stranger showing up — surprise — with a camera in the dark, unannounced, documenting me up-close-and-personal for the world to see.

As for me, I would rather look the less fortunate in the eyes than through a lens. I'd rather "suss" things out first and come back another time to do the business of video and editing.

I decided to go along, for this first time, just to observe on my Saturday night ... to get a sense of things for my upcoming story.

It wasn't long before a box of socks was thrust at me. Having empty hands on a venture like that will put you into service pretty promptly.

So, I became the "sock lady."

I felt a little uncomfortable approaching a man lying, covered with whatever he could find, on his own on the grass behind an electrical transformer, outside an industrial building. You see, he only had one leg. How would I ask him, without being patronizing, if he would like socks?

Just directly, of course. The answer was, "Yes, please."

Next to him was his wheelchair. The volunteers chatted with him and asked him about his story and his needs. He got a new sleeping bag that night.

The last thing one of the group said to him was, "I wanna see your #@$! at Stand Down this weekend, alright!?"

"I'll be there, if I have to wheel myself all the way," the man replied.

Normally, I was told, the volunteers don't go in search of one person like that. But the other homeless people a few streets away alerted them to this man who was less fortunate than they were.

Under a nearby overpass were about a dozen people huddled with their belongings. Two women played cards under a makeshift lean-to. Some rode bicycles.

On another street, a man with a scarred face told his story of a recent hospital stay after an altercation. A woman was asleep next to him.

"She came to the hospital and stayed with me the whole time," he said.

People seemed grateful for the supplies. Some appeared blown away that complete strangers would drive up, jump out of the car, ask them if they needed this or that and then produce it — brand new, with no strings attached and no platitudes — then drive away into the dark.

Water bottles went down well.

"You've got to stay hydrated," one volunteer reminded a few of the men.

One woman sitting behind a private area she had erected for herself  in a storefront asked for a bottle for her friend.

"She's gone to the bathroom," she said. She chatted intelligently and cordially with volunteers.

Some talked about how they had applied for benefits but were not able to receive them for various reasons.

is happening at San Diego High School this weekend. Though my story with video is only half-told, I am publishing it prematurely to highlight the need on the streets.

Any homeless veteran living in San Diego county can go and get a haircut, shower and other services, as well as counseling about jobs and alcohol and drug abuse recovery. There are judicial and Department of Motor Vehicles representatives there to help resolve some outstanding legal issues.

There are many ways to reach out to homeless people and lots of groups that do so. From just one night's observation, there was one thing in particular that impressed me about these groups: some volunteers were able to give concrete advice on ways for the homeless to possibly help themselves get off the streets. One veteran among the volunteers had lived on the street himself. He was able to look homeless vets in the eyes and ask them if they had tried to get help and to suggest various strategies and remind them of Stand Down.

Veterans for Peace is a Non-Governmental Organization with 501 (c) 3 status. Outreach for Humanity is a non-profit corporation, also with 501 (c) 3 status.