We were approached in the parking lot at Home Depot by a very sad homeless man asking for help money for food. The guy had two black eyes and other bruises and swelling on his face. One eye looked bad, the whole white of his eye was red. I asked what had happened to him and he said he had been beat up the night before.
Well, jeepers, all I had in my wallet was a $20, and I have counseled too many folk in deperate situations to have the urge to just give him money, but I was at a loss. Even knowing the resources I know all I could say to him was... "You have to get to a hospital and get that looked at!" Yeah - easy for me to say. I didn't feel like I really helped so I left and called the Emergency Shelter Network, where I know people, and talked to him about what options there were for the guy. They'd help him if he was downtown, but they can't come get him. I ended up calling Tumwater PD, hoping they could come and help the guy get to at least a shelter, if not the hospital.
Jeepers. Seems like you did all the right things. Not sure what I woulda done.