Street Roots

Each time Jarred and I go to Portland, we questions the sanity of the homeless people who live in Portland. I know, questioning their sanity is pointless, but if I were to be a homeless person, I would definitely head to some place like San Diego. Warm, dry and full of cheap taco stands. Regardless, Portland seems to be a bum friendly city. I can't decide if that means that the bums are more friendly to each other OR the city is friendly to the bums but bums are a plenty in the Rose City. Admittedly, I'm one of those people who does not give to those who beg. I figure I provide enough social services to the general population through my job, giving a dollar to someone who is not working isn't high on my list.

So as Jarred and I approached the REI Portland a couple of weeks ago and a meth mouthed bum asked Jarred if he wanted to buy a newspaper we'd never heard of, I kept walking. Jarred, being the social butterfly he is, stopped to see what type of newspaper this fine citizen was selling. Who would have thought that this brief encounter would make such an impact on my view of the homeless?

Street Roots is a non-profit newspaper that homeless people can sign up to sell. The newspaper focuses on Portland news, specifically social and political events. Stories are written by the staff, some are homeless, some are members of the non-profit group who is responsible for producing the paper. The stories are often eclectic but well written and often offer an interesting perspective into the lives of the homeless in Portland.

The paper sells for a dollar. The seller makes $.75 for each paper he/she sells. Each seller can sell as frequently or infrequently as he/she wants. They are assigned locations throughout the downtown area. Not only do they receive money, but they also can receive clothing and basic toiletries. The idea behind the paper is to provide basic employment to people who may not always qualify for a "real" job for whatever reason.

I was thoroughly impressed by this idea. I feel that this is a great alternative to begging. It provides basic structure to the lives of the displaced and it made me see these people as individuals, not a collective lazy group of losers. Each time I've read the paper, I've read a different story about the good will of people and the way in which people become displaced. It gave me a whole new perspective and the realization that community is much more important than I thought.