What to give to homeless people?

[Hisaishi]

Every morning, I walk past a man who is sleeping in the station in a sleeping bag. He is always asleep when I walk past. The weather is freezing where I am (not UK), and is going down to -12 tonight.

I go to the corner shop every morning to buy milk etc for work and I always buy him some biscuits and leave them beside him. I also bought some of those hand warmer things and I left some tangerines this morning.

Is there anyone who works with the homeless or has been homeless themselves that can recommend what else is a good thing to give? I am in two minds about leaving money, I know there are pros and cons. I would ask him what he needs, but as I said, he's always sleeping when I go past.

He does seem to have a decent sleeping bag, at the very least.

I buy cheap multipacks of large-size sports socks and keep a pair in my coat pocket. Whenever I've offered a clean, dry paid of socks, they've always been leapt upon. Doesn't matter how good your coat is, if you are wearing wet or thin socks, you are always going to be cold.

Then took money in somewhere.

Thermals are good, but how are you going to give them to him whilst he's asleep? Leave a bag and they might be stollen.

Use the time you'd spend shopping to start a campaign for better provision or clarity on funds for the homeless.

Homeless people over winter need hot food. We have night watches, here in Liverpool during cold weather and people go around from a central point giving out hot food/soup/drinks.

It really should be happening in every city.

It's a pity he's always asleep when you meet him. Another thing that kept me sane was library books. It also meant that while begging, you didn't have to see the legs walking by, or look at the looks of disdain and judgment. If you knew what language he spoke, you could get him a book.
And the final thing I've thought of is insect repellant. When you sleep on the streets you get eaten alive by ants and spiders. Or even something to put on an insect bite. If you got him some sort of spray, he could spray the inside of his sleeping bag at night to keep the blighters away.
Oh and vaseline. For dry lips.

I could go on and on and on. But hopefully I've given you at least one idea that you think you're happy with. Nothing cheers you up like a little anything when you're in the gutter.

Whyislarryhappy, OP, isn't in the UK.

Use the time you'd spend shopping to start a campaign for better provision or clarity on funds for the homeless

I mean...I'm not from this country and while I would love to help, I only have a wobbly grasp on the language and the cultural barriers are pretty great. So I don't think the five minutes I can spend going to the pound shop are quite equivalent to starting a campaign.

whyis annie larry extra thanks for the suggestions. Not sure if hospitals would let him in tbh, there's a lot of stigma, sadly.

Thermos flask of hot water, sachets of cup a soup/ hot chocolate.
Gloves
Sleeping mat
Hat
Toothpaste and toothbrush
Voucher for equivalent of Greggs to buy hot food
Supermarket voucher
Note asking if he needs anything in particular and a pen so he can reply
Camping stove and tinned food
Socks

"Note asking if he needs anything in particular and a pen so he can reply"

Great idea, I never thought of that.

Thanks for the other suggestions too, seems socks are really necessary.

Hospitals in the UK let you sleep in A&E until 6am. But then security boot you out like the scum that you feel you are with as much respect for you as they display to a rodent. So that's a poisoned chalice.
Something like even a little vaseline lip thing, will become his prized possession. It really is the little things that we all take for granted that could make his day.

extra I've seen the station staff escort him out before. TBH, they were pretty polite to him and I definitely feel like they felt bad so at least that's something. He's not doing any harm and he is tucked away between some pillars so not in anyone's way at all.

I know how it is. I worked beside Liverpool street and there were about 4 regular homeless there. One, I never gave anything to, as he was a complete asshole. He'd be on his knees, bowing up and down shouting Allah please help me. Then other times, he'd shout at you help me help me help me (he was very well dressed bizarrely). If anyone works the broadgate side of Liverpool street, you'll have come across him.

But the others I gave to. One was a woman who looked like she was on heroin (swollen face). One was a very thin looking immigrant who just looked petrified all the time, and the other was just I suppose what you'd call your typical English looking guy.

I used to go into our office, in my suit, with all the other suits, and hear our CEO tell us what wonderful charities he was donating to that year. Homeless never featured. Right outside our door they were. Cunt.