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I've been homeless before and never got any of those services. A lot of times those places can only do so much for so many. Funds and contributions are low, expectations high, sometimes even proof that you're needy is required. There's rich and well off people who will dress poorly so as to get free stuff just so they won't have to spend their own money.
Now I'm sure in big cities it's different but in small towns there's a limit to what people can and will do
Whereas in the bigger west coast cities the parks and greenbelts are FULL of discarded clothing, tents and sleeping bags because the donations are so plentiful. Local cleanup crews are completely overwhelmed hauling out tons of discards. There was one spot that had piled up over 20' deep with mostly donated or in some cases stolen items. If you haven't seen the mountains if stuff before it's quite surprising how quickly it all piles up.
Years ago I was in a major city, as division sales manager for 2 states. There was one city I would go to quite often, and you would see this very old man, dressed in old clothes (clean but old) and always wore an old hat. Every day he would walk down to a restaurant where he had his morning coffee, with his high school friends he was still in contact with. You would think he was just another broke old guy.
Truth was, he was one of the richest men in the country. He used his fortune for the good of his town. He saw a young black boy with a basketball looking through a chain link fence, wanting to shoot a few hoops. He called the school superintendent and asked why they play grounds were locked when kids needed a place to play. He told him that the reason was they could not afford things like that. He asked him by Monday 3 days away, to have a analysis done that would tell it what it would cost to open those playgrounds, to allow class rooms to be used after hours for clubs and other activities for their neighborhoods. Open the gyms for the neighborhood, etc. When this man spoke, you did what he told them to do. The next week there was a figure, and he told them to start setting it up and get those fences torn down immediately, that there would be an endowment made that gave them the money to do what he wanted done. It was done. When they needed a community college where people could learn to be better paid, he paid for it.
He was rich enough to buy half or more of the entire state, but he looked like any other very old man most of the time. When he went to board meetings of one of the country's biggest companies he dressed the part. Otherwise for every day wear he dressed like his old high school friends. This way he was accepted anywhere he went. He and his wife had a modest life style in the home they raised their son. He thought it was more important to do what was right, rather than trying to be the fanciest living, fanciest dressing man in town. Most people would have given up their old friends when they got rich, and wanted everyone to envy them. He on the other hand, looked like he shopped in thrift stores and no one paid attention to him most of the time, while on the other hand he had the money to do one good deed to help his town and state, and he did it without the general public paying any attention to him.
OP and some others on this thread look down on people that dress like that or the young woman in that store. Until you have walked a mile in their shoes, you do not have the right to run down those people that are not dressed up to your standards. Just maybe some of them could buy you with pocket change, and still have change left over. I met and was introduced to the man mentioned above one time, and if I did not know who he was, I would never have been able to tell it was not just another old man of modest means. Intelligent as could be, and very distinguished. He is one man I never have forgotten.
Some people are so stuck on show, and nothing else matters. When I was with that company the division manager (I was division sales manager), myself and the national sales manager went out to lunch when Don was in town. We stopped at a bank next door to the restaurant where my boss did his banking, so he could cash a check. I asked if I could cash one also, and was told only if I could get some high officer to endorse it. I looked over and saw near the managers office, two men standing there. One was one of the top officers for the 50 plus bank branch offices. The other was the state governor elect. I pointed and said he knew me. He went over and asked and the bank officer said loud enough we could all hear, "You can cash his check any time". I could have cashed a check on the West Bank of the Mississippi River from then on in that bank. When I cashed it, the governor elect asked me to step over to see them for a few minutes. I did leaving my bosses who were 2 of the biggest social climbers in the country and not getting far, and went over an shook hands and talked a little bit. As I was leaving the governor elect called to me, asking me if my wife and I were going to the party Saturday night. I said yes, we would not miss it, and he said he and his wife would see us there. My bosses could hardly believe that I was friends with the governor elect, and that high bank officer. I never told them, the party was a church party at our mutual church. They went around bragging about how I was a close friend of the governor. Sure I knew him and his wife, but I was not doing it to be rising in society.
Looking down on people, because they don't dress perfectly to suit the person like the OP is doing. Or complaining about some young girl who was probably wearing the only black cloths she owned to a grandfathers funeral, and saying she was not dressed properly in this day or age without knowing if she could or could not afford other clothes is trying to look down your nose and condemning other people, and that is wrong.
Looking down on people, because they don't dress perfectly to suit the person like the OP is doing.
Sorry, but I'm not looking down on people cause they don't dress "perfectly".
I used to wear worn out clothes myself, wore flip flops in winter, etc ...
I was just puzzled about her, cause I never saw someone wearing clothes like that in public. And it is not only the appearance, but the "functional problems" as well.
I couldn't imagine that she probably has no other clothes to wear. After reading the comments here I stand corrected.
Reading the replies on this thread reminded me why I never venture to this forum to begin with. A lot of you are so superficial that I feel sorry for you. Just let people wear whatever makes them happy. In what way does it possibly affect you if someone is not dressed to your standards?
This hits home for me because whenever I go to the grocery store after work or on a day off, I wear a t-shirt and basketball shorts every time. Down here in FL, it's really not practical to care about how you look or other people perceive you, it's too damn hot. I'm sure a lot of you would look at me and think I'm bummy, not knowing I just got done working for 12 hours and I'm just trying to be comfy.
And seriously you're at a grocery store. How do you want people to dress? In a damn tuxedo? Lol.
You know all about me? Do you work for NSA?
Wearing a tank top or T-shirt, shorts or pajama bottoms, flats or flips isn't the issue. She's been wearing these ill fitting clothes for days. That is the problem, and it has nothing to do with the fashion police.
It's like the youth of today wearing their pants so low that their underwear is completely visible...
My wife and I were in a local Subway Sunday, when a black youth came in, with his pants so low 8 inches of his underwear was showing... As he walked in I looked at him and started shaking my head as if to say, 'how can you dress like a thug and not expect to be treated like one?'...
And the color of his skin is important to the story because?
Maybe she is very poor. Maybe offer her a gift certificate for food or clothing....since you have seen her multiple times....carry a couple of certificates and just hand them to her.
And how someone dresses out in public, unless it's indecent, is y'all's business how?
Because they are out in public!
They can dress however they want in private, without facing any scrutiny.
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