The Contributor Inc

We print a bi-weekly, hyperlocal newspaper that challenges stereotypes surrounding homelessness and tells the stories of our contributor vendors. People experiencing homelessness receive training and create their own micro-business by purchasing copies of the paper and selling them to the public. Contributor vendors receive a starter pack that allows them to begin safely selling papers immediately, and a bus pass to return. Not only does this income encourage dignity and self-esteem among contributor vendors, it's also often the crucial lifeline bridging the gap between nights on the streets and signing the lease on a home to call one's own. Unlike panhandling, a vendor's paper purchases are tracked in our database and can be used for subsidized and traditional housing applications.