It is easy to turn a blind eye to those in need. We all have problems of our own: financial, personal, familial. Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start. Homeless charities--including homeless shelters like the Greenville Community Shelter and support networks like the National Coalition for the Homeless--seem to have so many needs. It can be easier just to focus on our own needs and to forget that there are those whose needs are greater than our own.[caption id="attachment_1575" align="alignnone" width="300"]

Image source: http://bit.ly/1GADhlz[/caption]Imagine your life reduced to what will fit underneath a common bunk bed or within a single backpack. That is the situation faced by residents of homeless shelters across the country. What would you have to give up if you had to carry everything you own on your back? What would you keep as your few possessions?

Whether it's walking across the U.S. to generate awareness about homelessness, however, or simply donating a few common household items, there are lots of ways to help the homeless, including:

• volunteering your time by helping to serve meals, clean, or complete other chores
• offering professional services such as advertising, web design, or building maintenance
• organizing a fundraising drive
• organizing a service-learning project (if you are a teacher or student)

Ultimately, the specific way in which you help your local homeless charities is less important than that your help meets their needs. Simply ask yourself what you have to offer, whether that's material goods or your spare time.