Looking for food
May 5th, 2009 at 2:03 pm by Mark Allen under Mark Allen's Blog
I realized really quickly that I brought way too much stuff with me. I need the camera and computer to get my video to the station, but it’s all really heavy.
Dave Wire said it is going to rain, it’s a good thing I brought some plastic with me.
The only food I brought with me was a can of spaghetti Os. So for dinner, I’m going dumpster diving. I’m not going to cheat.
Tags: homeless
I grew up in Clay County, Indiana where I still reside. I began my career at WTWO television before joining News 10, WTHI in 1990 as co-anchor of the evening news. I have been m...
My son and his family (5 mo. old daughter ) are currently homeless, They are living with relitives here in Terre Haute. He has enlisted in the NAVY but cant leave till November. He was turned down for unemployment (his deadbeat boss in Kokomo denied him)(We are looking into labor violations against him) He was denied food stamps and TANNIF because he missed their phone call…They never called on the day they told him they would and two days later his cell phone was shut off…he couldnt pay the bill. If you are able to find any help for him I am willing to do anything. The system is SO BROKEN I hope you can shed some light on this and help me help my son….I am willing to help you in any way I can. Good luck on your story. The Lighthouse mission may be able to serve you dinner. Thank you for your time !!!! Cassie
Are you accepting any help… from the lighthouse mission or asking for help from other homeless people or just people passing by? Or is that considered cheating? If homeless people on the streets really do that I don’t think it’s considered cheating. But… if an avid channel 10 watcher finds you and brings you food… that would be cheating wouldn’t it?
Be safe Mark!
Concerning the comment about the tannif This new system is not helping people, some people do not have access to a phone, so how are they to do a phone interview. I don’t think it would be cheating if you went into the mission to eat. They do provide 3 meals a day for the public and their guest at the mission. Be careful out there Mark there are all kind of weirdo’s out there.
GOOD LUCK MARK, Hope you can bring more attention to the growing problem of the homeless. I notice more women with children facing this problem. Imagine that, homeless with children. One little slip up on the ‘AUTOMATED WELFARE SYSTEM” AND YOU ARE OUT…even if it is their mistake. Meanwhile dead-beat dads are allowed to lay around or even worse are in prison with the government paying $30-$50,000 each annualy!! However FIND the LOOP-HOLE to not help Mothers and Children. But that’s another story…Hmmmmmmmm what do you think?
I saw you 3 times today. You really looked tired and like you were having a hard time. Are you wishing you hadnt done this? I would be scard to death to be out on the streets alone. We always just assume that are homes will be there but I guess we never know.
Please be safe!!!
Jan
I got a got good interesting question for you, Mark. If you were some other homeless person, rather than a news anchor known by most ppl around the city, how quick do you think other ppl would offer you food or money? Do you think it happens often. I know my family have helped homeless ppl before. Last year for instance, I gave one under the overpass on third street a Hardee’s one dollar thick burger. I kinda think the bystander effect would apply here. Psychologically, ppl see a homeless person somewhere and there are others around at the time, an individual would think someone else might give the homeless person food so they may not bother. It might be good if unknown person did what you’re doing as well just to see. What do you think?
I think it ought to be mandatory for every student before they turn 16 to be trained in survival skills in the event they find themselves homeless or in any other survival situation. The reason they need it before age 16 is because the odds of becoming homeless is greater if you drop out of school. Skills such as how to purify water, first aid, how to forage for food and trapping skills, how to build temporary shelters and build a simple campfire without conventional fire-starting means is a must. Anyone possessing these basic skills can survive, even in harsh conditions. The trick is to work smarter … not harder. Know your terrain, plan carefully and ahead, take notes on where to find necessities such as edible plants and clean water, and take advantage of found objects. Never allow yourself to be “functional fixed,” which means believing object have only one single function. Be creative as you have making a poncho out of a plastic bag. I could go on for months on this subject. I feel that a lot of people have taken luxury of convenience for granite and that makes for a rotten situation if that person becomes homeless. When in dire straits it better to be able to depend on your self than the public welfare systems which are unreliable at best.
I watched you as you journeyed,and I believe it is good what you have done.God bless you.My daughter takes things for granted,and so does my son,even myself,we really do need to be thankful to god for what we have,and what he did for us.Is there any help available for those homeless people that have a drug problem,is there any funding for that?.My son he,s on crack cocaine,I worry about him,but he doesn,t live here, he lives in Louisianna,he doesn,t have no family,and I worry about him.He,s still working which is good.The ones that are on drugs,if they wanna get help how do they do that, and what if they don,t have no insurance?