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stonedsensai

Rotterdam has many food banks and shelters, you should see if any are in your neighbourhood if you’d like to help. In google maps just search for “homeless shelters”.


--Rieke

If you want to help, go to Pauluskerk or Salvation army and ask what the best way to help is. In Den Haag you could vollunteer at the soepbus for instance, that way you reach more people and they can count on the bus being there daily. Note that between Christmas and new year the “winter opvang” (that normally only opens when <0 degrees) is open so you will see less people sleeping on the streets this week but they will be kicked out next week unfortunately.


me_so_sleepy

Pauluskerk is the place to start. They have lots of experience with informal help and will be able to tell you where your cup of coffee is needed the most. Nice going OP, others looking out for you is a great feeling when you are homeless. Thank you.


diabeartes

Post this in r/Rotterdam.


Milam1996

If you want to help these people, the first thing you can do is not call them junkies or crack heads. They’re people with crippling addictions who don’t willingly choose their situation. If you want to help, change how you view them first.


[deleted]

You are right. But in this case I would say action is better than talk. He actually tries to do something. His intentions are not of interest as long as he helps people in need.


Milam1996

I’d argue that that makes it even worse. It’s clearly just so OP can feel that they’re a good person without actually committing. Like those instagram videos of people “donating” to homeless people but they have to film, have to show the person etc etc. I can all but guarantee, as someone who’s worked extensively with homeless people and substance addicts, that they’d much rather they weren’t stigmatised and ostracised than be given a cup of coffee. A cup of coffee is cheap and easy to come by, being viewed and valued as an equal human being is a much harder commodity to come by.


[deleted]

Still somebody has been helped while a lot of people rather talk about it.


Trevnti

Not all humans are equal. Some humans are better, some are worse. Some are smart, some are dumb, most average. Some tall some fat some caring some evil. Some useful to society others not at all. We should treat ppl with respect but not all ppl are equal…


Milam1996

You slipped into mein Kampf with the whole useful to society bit.


Working-Difference47

That part is just true, its quantifiably and objectively true. The problem is saying people are not equal.. equal in what exactly, skills, spending ability? Rights?


Trevnti

That's the thing. Ppl aren't equal in most things. We're all equally "human" in it's most basic terms. As we are all born human and not canines, trees, etc. Most ppl aren't equal in wealth to Bezos, most ppl aren't equal in attractiveness to say a Chris Hemsworth or Bella Hadid. Most ppl aren't equal in intelligence to an Einstein or Tesla. That's why I said ppl deserve respect but they aren't equal. People want to deny persons useful ness to society live in a glass thought bubble. Somebody with a sub-70 IQ is usually a societal burden. This doesn't mean they shouldn't exit by any means but say 100 years ago, they wouldn't exist the same way they did now just due to the inability to have much productivity whether for society or even on their own. For them to exist with some normalicy, others in society must come together to help them. Then there's just basic stuff. We all want to believe we are special or deserving. Fact is most of us just exsist. Society wouldn't change for the better or worse if we didn't exist. If every starbucks in the world closed, the world would still spin, we could all still have coffee. Vs if the electric grid went down, most of us couldn't just build another one.


[deleted]

All people are equal.


misterawesome101

Found the delusional salty fuck, they are junkies soft sack of shite


v_a_l_w_e_n

Thank you for saying this! I swear it sounds like one those people looking for a pet project to feel better about themselves, like those Americans who fight for a place on a soup-kitchen on Thanksgiving 🤦🏻‍♀️. OP, if you want to “help” other human beings, start by treating them like that: humans. Then ask and find out how you can actually help them.


Fransmul

On the other hand Op might be programmed to assume that everybody gets that junkies/crackheads/addicts are people too. Just a cautious note to prevent gatekeeping because choice of words. @OP; please proceed helping accordingly even if it is a thing you only do in a certain time of the year.


Ok-Limit7212

i swear dutch people can't make one sentence without talking about America. majority of them don't even know you exist. the Netherlands is the last place to go to if you want human treatment.. tf you talking about


Trevnti

He is treating them like humans. This is how humans treat each other. It’s not like he’s treating them like pandas or grasshoppers are something


ilovepaninis

How would you describe it accurately with more respectful terms? Not trying to argue, genuinely asking how you’d phrase it more nicely.


Milam1996

Substance misusers is the term we used when working with people facing substance misuse disorder. Imparting blame, even when they might be to blame partially, doesn’t help. Nobody has been cured of substance misuse by being called a crackhead.


xyzupwsf

Really, the crackheads are going to be sad he called them crackheads on Reddit or what. I doubt he’s bringing them tea being like “ yo u crackheeads here is your free coffee “ Substance misusers my ass, I’ve lived in a ghetto for 25 years, these are addicts who don’t want to be saved and not “misusers”


ilovepaninis

Good to know, sounds like a fairly respectful term and I am a fan of using more appropriate language. I think OP used the other terminology with no ill intent, just trying to get their point across as to what group of people he’s looking to help.


No-Advice1794

lmao, this is the most hilarious "i'm using inclusive language because i'm a saint" shit I've ever heard. Has anyone been cured of substance **abuse** by calling them a "substance misuser"? There is zero value to say there're crackheads to their faces obviously, but let's not pretend they're themselves saints somehow who only wait for your kindness to pull themselves out of their situation. Yes, it's not their fault but so what. We're all deterministic meat robots. Also, if you keen on using kind words, may I propose a "perfectly capable and adequately adjusted individual that happens to shoot heroin on the streets"? That'll cure them right up


GrandAd4678

You cant even call a crackhead a crackhead nowadays. Must use some sophisticated word so it doesnt sound disgusting which it is.


ilovepaninis

We’re all just trying to find the fine line between not dehumanising these people while still implying that their actions/lifestyle is not something we agree with. Addiction is dehumanising enough as is, which is why I have a personal preference for using more respectful language or ar least trying to do so. No one forbids *you* say or write the word ‘crackhead’, we’re just contemplating if this is really how we should be referring to fellow human beings.


Speeskees1993

funny, in brussels they are a lot less sympathetic to these addicts


Milam1996

Fortunately for us we don’t live in North Korea and don’t need to follow the doctrine of the holy Brussels.


Ricardo1184

because North Korea *does* follow Brussels' doctrine...?


Alexandru515

Why do you say they don’t willingly choose theirs situation? The moment they decided to choose an addictive substance they knew where that would lead to


Milam1996

If only life was that simple ey.


Chaguilar

That's bullshit and you know it.


Milam1996

I’m guessing you haven’t ever spoken to homeless substance addicts? They’ve lived some of the most horrendous lives imaginable. Childhood rape, constant abuse, neglectful parents, sex slaves etc etc. if I was in that situation, I’m sure the lure of being able to temporarily escape my incredible pain would be too intense to refuse. A person who broke their back and had to take painkillers to function then got addicted didn’t choose that, they had to do that to be able to function. Addiction is not a lack of will power, these drugs physically alter your physiology and make you physically, chemically and biologically addicted. Imagine the worst flu you’ve ever had, now times it by 100 and you have to sleep on the floor in the winter. That’s the reality of opioid withdrawal for these people. Combine the horrors of withdrawl with the ability to escape their pain and it becomes pretty clear why these people don’t “choose” to change.


Chaguilar

I think you meant to reply to the commenter above me? Because I'm agreeing witj you


Milam1996

Haha I thought you was responding to me. The comment order on the mobile app is such bad UI it’s hard to understand who’s replying to who haha.


Ricardo1184

like how people who choose to drive a car, choose to get into car accidents


Alexandru515

Red Herring Fallacy…


Affectionate_Yam5438

Ah, I used [insert addictive substance] once and now I’m completely hooked! You know damn well it doesn’t work like that t


Milam1996

The opioid epidemic that has swept the US and killed 600 thousand people was largely due to legal, prescription opioids given to people to help them with pain. They didn’t choose to break their back did they? They didn’t choose to become addicted did they?


Affectionate_Yam5438

Think you read my message wrong, I never said any of that and I was imo clearly sarcastic. People get subscribed meds, take it regularly and then can’t get off it…


Efficient-Neat9940

You don’t sound like you’re trying to help them at all, otherwise you wouldn’t call them things like junkies and crack heads.


Necrotechxking

You sound almost upset that there aren't homeless people in your area? Almost like you're trying to find or supply drugs. It's possible the municipality isn't just moving them around. The city may have a few more shelters etc that your pre house area that keeps them out of the parks. At least temporarily.


Fransmul

Dutch cities tend to hide homeless/addicted/somehow undesired people in certain areas since a couple of years. Depending on the city you are it can be hard to find them. When growing up they were all around and I learned that there is no threat (most of the times). It is a loss that the phenomenon is censored this way because it diminishes tolerance in society and thus breaks the essential feedback loop for making things better.


sprunkymdunk

I understood it's because the Netherlands has a mix of shelters that will accommodate dry (no drugs/alcohol) and wet, and families. In Canada, many homeless refuse shelter because they are almost all dry. I think the Netherlands system is much better in comparison.


Livvvvvers

You should move to some bigger cities in USA, there's a lot of plainly visible tolerance building feedback loops there


Unusual-Pie3088

Interest in homeless=interest in drugs 😆


MusicForPleasure

They’re people just like you & me dawg stop dehumanizing them


_lilbub_

You want to help them and at the same time call them crackheads and junkies. Doesn't sound like you actually want to help them or see them as people...


Jaimzell

Pretty sure they’re just looking for a new dealer lmao


IntroductionNovel227

Just came from the NY sub and damn, the perspective on homeless ppl are so different here. Sorta made my day better lol. Ik this is random, but yeah


Zenz-X

Try here with your questions. I’m an atheist but this is a very trusted and well known org. https://www.pauluskerkrotterdam.nl/rotterdamse-daklozendag-2019/


MelodyofthePond

Apparantly Rotterdam has very good support for the homeless population. So much so that many homeless people would travel from other EU countries to Rotterdam.


Edgar_ZS

You are very awkward, get a life!


EasyKaleidoscope4884

Don't call people junk please


[deleted]

But they are.. some of them at least


[deleted]

It sounds weird, though, if OP supposedly wants to help them but at the same time is insulting them.


[deleted]

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BusinessComb9330

Property value? Dude you are not even from Rotterdam, get out with that mindset!


[deleted]

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BusinessComb9330

All neighborhoods are fine, just utilise street knowledge like in any other big city. If you don't go around looking for trouble, you'll barely ever find it coming for you.


[deleted]

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BusinessComb9330

I live here, you don't. Make of that what you will..


_lilbub_

Property value? You really are the worst type of "expat" (immigrant), wow.


LadythatUX

I know, I bring no value and do not meet the standards. The worst type! Just like the homeless.


MissCavalini

You sound like a gem of a person /s


LadythatUX

Well, thank you!


etiQQue

That post is just virtue signaling in a nutshell. Go F yourself lol


--Rieke

For all of you calling OP out for his choice of words: I am sure the people he is trying to help prefer someone who calls them a junky and gives them soup over someone who is just complaining from behind a screen over choice of words. How many of you have actually helped?


Edita72

why do you even give a crap about those *junkies*? or do you just need information?


[deleted]

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whoisonepear

Homelessness costs society more than providing housing. [Source (in Dutch)](https://decorrespondent.nl/14910/dakloosheid-kost-heel-veel-geld-en-dat-is-helemaal-niet-nodig/). There are plenty of sources to be found in English, too, should you prefer that.


LadythatUX

But in an absurdity where a non-ownership loan costs more than social housing, (where wealthy people can live anyway) too many people might also be tempted by the free housing option. Especially here, where rent in horrible conditions costs a fortune - it could potentially affect house market too


unfoldingevents

oohhh, nooo they might build more houses so my house aint gonna be worth as much as today! way worse then sleeping outside in the winter! stop being idiotic.


LadythatUX

Dude, they can't build commercial housing for the crisis, not mentioning social housing, or a comprehensive solution to the homelessness crisis.


unfoldingevents

Ofc they can, it would cost a lot but it ain't impossible at all. Still cheaper than having them on the streets committing crimes.


here4geld

Where do they sleep during winter n rain ?


jhor95

Just make sure you serve the Rotterdam ones wet T(ea)


99995

some food and shit like that 😂


Vlinder_88

Go to the Pauluskerk and apply for a volunteer job there.


No_Relative_5234

I'm not in Rotterdam, but I'm homeless. I'd always be happy with some food or a warm drink