Don’t feel helpless about helping the homeless!

I very rarely give to beggars, how do I know they aren't going to spend my hard earned money on drink or drugs. I thought that the majority of homeless people chose to be homeless and that no council or country would let people live on the street without offering them help. So here's a story which changed my view, and hopefully will change yours too.    In January 2015, I was visiting London when a man tapped me on the shoulder. I had dropped my headphones from my pocket and this man picked them up and gave them to me. I was pleasantly aupriaed. Normally Londoners don't speak to each other! I don't often go to London and I wasn't sure how to get to Holborn so I asked him for directions, he pointed me in the direction of where I was going, I said thank-you and goodbye... Awkwardly we were going the same way, and I had to jokily ask if he was following me. He laughed and told me he was homeless so he doesn't really have anywhere to go as he had not been able to get to the hostel in time as he was at his local council housing office waiting for an appointment. I was intrigued so I carried on speaking to man who told me his name was  Tom and story about how he became homeless, through no fault of his own, he lost everything. He lost his job, and his partner, who he was not married to, passed away suddenly a month later. The house was in her name, and unfortunately they were not married so he had no legal rights. He has no family, and at the time a very small number of friends. After sofa surfing for a few weeks, he went to his local council who said there was nothing they could do for hin. He couldn't not find a job, or even sign on because he had no fixed abide. This was the start of a vicious circle which would continue for three years. He felt ashamed to keep asking friends for loans and to stay at theirs, they all had partners and children and he felt like a burden on them, so he stayed in b&bs and hostels when he could. He is still sleeping rough, occasionally he makes it in time to get a bed in a hostel but more often than not, he sleeps outside tube stations or in car parks in Central London. He explained to me how much Crisis, a long with lots of other charities have helped him, and how greatful he is to still be alive and reasonably well. This man really touched my heart, I used to think people chose to make themselves, that no council will ever let people go without a roof over there head. Now I know that unfortunately, they can. I will probably never see Tom again, but I want to help him and others like him so I am raising money for Crisis homeless charity and Crawley Open House. I will split the money between the two charities. I am planning on doing a sky dive in the summer and some money raised will go towards registraion fees for this. I hope to raise even more. I will also be going to London on the 10th of March to hand out blankets and warm clothes to those sleeping rough!!! So please, donate any amount big or small!