To give a free gym pass to a homeless man?

[Figure17a]

I do a bit of volunteering with a homeless charity. I was chatting to one of out regulars who was saying he does his best to keep himself clean but hasn't had a shower in six months.

He lives in a tent and for various reasons that won't change any time soon. He doesn't usually smell but is scruffy and looks quite obviously like a rough sleeper.

FTTT my (quite swanky) gym sends guest passes. WIBU to give them to him so he can shower? How would it go down with staff/management or other members. I dont want there to be a scene and make him uncomfortable but it seems like a solution for him. What do you think? How would you feel (if male!) about sharing a changing room at your expensive gym with him?

I think it's meant as a comparison would you take him to domestic private space?no
So don't encourage him to go to "swanky^ corporate private space

For someone who does quite a bit of volunteering with homeless charity,op knows v little about signposting or local agencies

What about going to the local council sports centre?

I feel this thread is spectacularly missing point.hes already known to homeless charity
He's one of the regulars. Charity can offer or recommend facilities
Why should he go council gym?is it ok to be unkempt at council gym but not swanky gym

Slightly off topic but a friend of mine was challenged using the toilets in a public building recently. Yes, she does dress a bit 'bohemian' and had a guitar on her shoulder, but it really isn't on to make assumptions. If it ever happens with me, I shall be very quick to say, "Have you not met Doctor SpongeFriend before?". It really kills my pig, making assumptions, often wrong, about someone's financial situation. I realise this is different to someone possibly smelling a bit unwashed...as you were. :)

There are usually drop in centres where homeless people can shower and do laundry, get cheap food etc. I live in a very small market town and there is one here.

you could let him come to your house, use your shower, feed him and wash his clothes. That would be a nice thing to do.

If you really want to do something why don't you formally approach the gym and ask if they would be willing to make showers available to the homeless a day a week before or after closing. Good press for the gym.

you could let him come to your house, use your shower, feed him and wash his clothes. That would be a nice thing to do

It is highly likely that the charity would caution against this in favour of maintaining boundaries.

oh, i know.Suspect the OP does, and even if it weren't for boundaries there'd be zilch chance of him using her bathroom ;)

I'm a gym member, regular user and I would not like this at all. I think it would be very awkward for all concerned and is likely to backfire spectacularly. There must be better ways of supporting this man.

'There are usually drop in centres where homeless people can shower and do laundry, get cheap food etc. I live in a very small market town and there is one here.'

No, there are not 'usually' drop in centres where such facilities are available.

hoddtastic, it probably wasn't worth mentioning then as an option? There will be plenty of people on here who probably don't know. Anyway, I might not necessarily support the OP's idea but, having worked with homeless and roofless people, I admire the OP for thinking outside the box and trying to find solutions. I can only imagine the services are stretched where they are and facilities aren't readily available for use.

Actually no I don't want my gym offering day a week facilities to the homeless
That's the role for The homeless charity,their usp,what they funded and campaign for
The homeless charity the op volunteers at can signpost and support this man

If there's no restrictions on who the op can give her passes to then why shouldn't she let this guy have one?

expat ime as a someone who works with homeless people, there are usually drop in or day centres where showers and laundry are available.

And IME as someone who works with homeless people, Not, it's more of a potluck if there is such a centre in your area. And more and more of them are being closed due to funding constraints. It's not helpful to assume all homeless people have access to a drop-in centre with showers, laundry facilities and the like.

Fair enough expat I work in afairly rural area with less facilities and funding than most, often other areas have better provision than we do.

If it's a 24/7 gym where all the sign up is online you should be fine. Pure gym would be easy to do this and they give out free passes all the time. You literally need a code and just enter.

Can I just say as well that it breaks my heart a little that in a developed country like this one that this is even an issue :( sad to think this man was someone's precious baby once and now he can't even find anyone to let him have access to a shower :(

No thats not at all appropriate or fair on the gym how embarrassing for the poor homeless guy - if you really wanna help give him a shower at yours!

He's a human. Just because he's not the regular clientele they see it doesn't mean he's any less entitled to the free guest pass.
In fact it would probably bring good publicity as everyone loves a help the homeless story. Fuck anyone who stops going to their gym because of it.

What are you on about thinnest?hes not fallen from view,he attends a homeless charity.regularly.
This man already has access to the support of a specialist homeless charity
The charity can signpost regard mh,physical health,benefits and offer access to washing facilities

I've not read the whole thread just the first page admittedly. If this charity is so good then why can't he access a shower?

It's not helpful to assume all homeless people have access to a drop-in centre with showers, laundry facilities and the like

Absolutely this, particularly in larger cities where services are completely overstretched.