Some shelters won't take you if you don't have these things BEFORE YOU DO INTAKE! Other's will give you some time once they take you in, but you should do these things as soon as possible!
MAILING AND PRIVACY ISSUES : The biggest obstacle for a street homeless person is not having a mailing address, which is why the shelter address is what you're waiting on. Check though to see if there are any places in your area that provide MAIL services for homeless.
One possibility is mail to your STORAGE UNIT. ASK, we have heard of it being done.
If you are homeless and are using a friend's mail box, tell any social services you register with that this is the case or they may not believe you are actually homeless. (We know of one intake/shelter that requires you have a letter from someone who you've been living with stating that they can no longer keep you and one night on the street!)
(CAUTION : Some shelters have bulk mail and someone on staff is the "mail carrier" who gets to see who you are getting e-mail from. (Likewise, some shelters have computers but you can't use them and have confidentiality. Can you use e-mail from another location?)
YOUR PICTURE ID: A picture ID doesn't always have to be a drivers license. Sometimes it can be a school or gym membership card or a bus pass with your picture on it. If your picture is you and looks like you and is fairly recent (within a year or two) maybe that will work. A passport, even if it's expired should work. DON'T SUBMIT A FAKE ID. Eagle eye case managers are usually smart about this and if you're young looking they're not going to risk taking you in underage.
OTHER FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION: Say you lost your wallet or got robbed and you now having nothing on you. CALL YOUR DMV and report this right away. Our experience with the DMV is that they are often willing to deal with homeless, such as setting up a payment plan for registration. Ask for a PRINT OUT that you can use until you get new plastic. Case Managers may be able to give you a letter stating that you are in their program to verify an address of the program and that you need reduced fees.
One of our friends told them he was living in his van and showed his Social Security check and disability evidence and they gave him time to pay.
GR and other SOCIAL SERVICES THROUGH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES : YOU CAN PICK UP GR RELATED MAIL AT THEIR OFFICE. Shelters often expect you to agree to let them know what income you're getting. IN SOME PLACES GR IS THE FIRST PLACE YOU SHOULD GO IF YOU NEED SHELTER BECAUSE THEY MAY PAY FOR YOUR FIRST TWO WEEKS IN A SHELTER.
YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE : Usually used to verify you are who you are for housing and other government funded benefits. There are fees involved.
TB TEST : Shelters are concerned about the spread of TB in close quarters at shelters especially because of the previous use of needles for street drugs and HIV, which can make getting TB pretty easy. Some require a TB test. Strange but true, we found out that while some expect the test, they don't necessarily expect it to be negative. Positive and in treatment will usually be good enough.
Shelters know that homeless are often without papers. Ask them if they can help you get these papers.
UPDATE AUGUST 2013 - THIS POST WILL ALSO BE ON OUR SIDEBAR ALONG WITH OTHER INFORMATION!
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