Street Safety.

We will all need help at some point or another during the span of our life and there’s a sense of humility in the idea that we’re not alone in our troubles. The best way to look at Sandwich Love Day is as an exercise in humility and equality. When the act of giving becomes about the ‘greater’ giving to the ‘lesser’, it becomes more about personal politics than equality and humanism. When approaching people on the street, you have to be just as ready for rejection as you are acceptance. Some people may not be looking for food, and my suggestion would be to accept that and move on. Of coarse it’s your prerogative, but in my opinion, this day should be about feeding people that are hungry. Money can be construed in too many different ways and can quickly become extortionary. Our goal is to feed the soul through the quickest way we know possible, the stomach and heart. Through positive energy and action we can have fun with our friends and hopefully uplift the people around us with much less energy than we thought. With this in mind, the world is not all roses and sunflowers, it’s important to keep your safety in mind when out in the streets. In this post, we will go over some issues that you may encounter while out on Love Sandwich Day and some tips to keep you safe.

THE STREETS!:

1. Don’t hand out sandwiches by yourself. By going out with at least one more person you greatly decrease your chances of being assaulted or aggressively approached. Aside from the safety factor, this day should totally be shared with some people that you care about.

2. Don’t carry large sums of money on you. It’s also probably a good idea not to wear flashy jewelry or clothes.

3. Again, it’s up to you, but I wouldn’t make this day about giving out money and such. Keep your focus on feeding people that are hungry.

4. Don’t be afraid to approach people. The best way to find people is to just look for panhandlers and ask them if they’re hungry or if they want a sandwich. If they say yes… give them a sandwich! At the end of the day, if you have left over sandwiches, which is very possible, find a local shelter or food depository and see if they’re accepting food donations. The Pacific Garden Mission took the sandwiches that I had left over.

5. If you can, go out during the day sometime. It’ll be safer and you’re more likely to find people on the street during a friday morning or afternoon.

6. I wouldn’t take any weapons with you, if you really feel nervous, maybe carry some mace in your pocket or something. Weapens are only going to make you more paranoid and perpetuate the stereotype that people on the street are dangerous, when most of them are really just trying to make it by, like you and me.

7. Know where you are. Explore neighborhoods that you’re already somewhat acquainted with.

8. Just use common sense. You’ll be fine as long as you trust your instincts and are open to people while also being acutely aware of your surroundings.

9. I wouldn’t suggest going into shanty towns. They are after all peoples temporary homes and some people may be protective of that space or resentful of you ‘trespassing.’

I hope that that is helpful. Feel free to post any suggestions if you feel that we’ve missed something. Oh, and HAVE FUN! ; )