street roots
2
Dec. 19, 2014
A t the end of the day, all you need is love
EDITORIAL
“Street Roots offers me the opportunity
to get the things I need in life. Plus, I love
all o f the people that I get to meet. I ’m so
thankful. ” - Paulette Bode, S R vendor.
Optimism wins out as one year
closes and another begins
o you look to the New Year with hope or
apprehension? Does the season bode celebration
or isolation? From our vantage point, it’s always a
mix. We’re realists, after all, but optimism wins out.
Indeed, from the grassroots to the state’s highest
office, the year moved the ball forward on some fronts. X
Politically speaking, the city and the county have taken
the first steps toward a new collaborative approach to
homelessness, reassessing their relationship and
responsibilities, and forcing leadership’s hand to declare
that if we really want to end homelessness - not just for
some, but for all - then we have to be intentional in our
efforts. It isn’t a passive
goal to be shelved when
Milestones have been
the job gets tough. New
reached In Income and
alliances are pursuing
opportunity. They come
options for sustainable
In the form of new jobs,
funding streams to keep
sustainable housing,
reunited families or just a housing affordable.
There’s initiative from
bus ticket home
Salem too, with the
:
governor’s pledge of
$100 million toward creating new, low-income housing
units. It’s a new infusion of money and commitment that
complements efforts to raise our standards in health care
and education. There’s no panacea, of course, but the
conversation is slowly changing.
In Portland, we close the year on many uncertainties,
including the integrity of affordable housing funding
through urban renewal districts. But we’re hopeful that
the powers that be will prioritize low-income and
workforce housing - as it already does with transit and
infrastructure - when investing in new development.
D
.
and
errnore p e r s o n a l le v e l , w e 'v e
t’s a busy time of
year. I’ll be brief.
We know readers
are very busy before
the holidays. Lots to
DESK
do.
By Israel Bayer
As the year winds
down and a new year
begins, Street Roots,
and vendors want to
thank you for all of your love. Every day
we hear story after story of readers
being extremely generous to vendors.
It’s an amazing thing to witness. It
doesn’t take much to bring joy into
people’s lives who don’t have a lot —
maybe it’s as simple as a smile.
Regardless of how busy we might be
or the challenges we may face, we
believe the majority of people want to do
the right thing given th e opportunity.
That might be reconnecting with a long
lost family member, or taking the time
snscm's
Israel B a y er is the
executive director o f
Street Roots. You c a n
reach h im at
israel@streetroots. org
o r follo w h im on
Tw itter @israelbayer.
I
out to spend more time with a
significant other. Possibly it’s sharing a
coffee with a stranger or offering your
appreciation for the small things
someone has done for you this past year.
It’s not easy, given the world we live.
People who read Street Roots and this
column know how much we talk about
the collective strength of people and our
community. We live and breathe i t We
know that regardless of where you’re
going or where you come from, at the
end of the day, all you need is love. Love
in all forms.
Together, we’ve got lots of love at
Street Roots.
It’s your generosity that is helping
Street Roots grow. In the process,
helping hundreds of individuals and
families. Talk about amazing.
From all of us at Street Roots, we
want to wish you a happy holiday.
P S . A s the holidays approach. D on’t
forget to support your local neighborhood
vendor.
P.P.S. A donation to Street Roots would
also be, well, golly gee, out o f sight. Thank
you!
-
newspaper, to the point of finding stability and housing.
Two in particular, Duane Wagner and William Howard,
connected with the VA to find housing for veterans like
themselves. For others, milestones have been reached in
income and opportunity. They come in the form of new
jobs, sustainable housing, reunited families or just a bus
ticket home. If the past is any indication of the future,
there will be more and more vendors crossing our
threshold in 2Q15.
With each passing year, we say goodbye to friends,
always thankful for the time we had together. This past
year we lost three vendors before their time
And of course, your Support has secured the launch of a
weekly Street Roots in 2015. We are not jumping into this
new cycle lightly, but with the knowledge that sales
stability is fundamental to managing a sustainable income
for housing. It’s really that simple.
So before you rush off to your busy holiday schedule,
please take a moment to look over page 11, where some
of our vendors have written their thanks and wishes to
readers. It’s where vendor Tory Boone perhaps said it
best: “Tis the season when we all have to figure out what
we’re thankful for. I see nothing more obvious to me than
you. I have an income and hope because of your support
of Street Roots. Thank you!”
Vendor Paulette Bade
'
-
ph ö tö by ä la n borrud .
Our mission
Staff
Board of Directors
Venders
Street toots creates income opportunities for
people experiencing homelessness and poverty by
producing a newspaper and other media that are
catalysts for individual and social change.
Executive Director Israel Bayer
Bruce Anderson (Chairman), Michael Anderson (Vice-
chairman), Heather Stadick (Treas.), Eddy Barbosa (Sec.),
Rich Rodgers, Brad Taylor, Leo Rhodes, Nora Coon,
Darren Alexander, Amber Bielman
Street Roots vendors buy the newspapers for 25 cents
each and sell them for $1, keeping the 75 cents in.''
profit for themselves. In order to keep the cost low to
our vendors, we receive additional support from
d o n a t e and tn-kind contributions.
Street toots publishes every two weeks, launching
on Fridays, and is available exclusively through our
street vendors or by subscription, We are a proud
member of the International Network of Street
Papers.
Street Roots
211 NW Davis St
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-5657
Fax:503-227-3117
streetroots.org
news.streetroots.org
¡3
israel@streetroots.org
Managing Editor Joanne Zuh!
joanne@streetroots.org
Vendor Coordinator Cole Merkel
cole@streetroots.org
Operations Director Sarah Beecroft
Program A ssistant Grace Badik, Jesuit Volunteer,
grace@streetroots.org
Development Director Sarah Cloud
Canvasser Desmond Hardison
Development Assistant Ann-Derrick Gaillot
Reporters Emily Green, Jake Thomas, Alex
Zielinski, SueZalokar, Ann-Derrick Gaillot
Photographers Diego Diaz, Kristina Wright,
Adrienne Burkett
Volunteers
Jan Bayer, Rob Shyrock, Stacey Heath, John Barker,
Dane Nicklas, Kevin Glasel, Sarah Hansell, Sam
Bouman, Eliese Baker, Tom Ray, Cherie Vedal, Jessie
Carver, Mary Locke, James Yu, Melissa Kahn, Vinnie
Kinsella
Street Roots Rose City Resource
Street Roots publishes the Rose City Resource, a
comprehensive booklet of services for people*
experiencing homelessness and poverty.
To inquire about getting guides, call 503-228-5657.
Resources are online at www.rosecityresource.org.
75c
goes directly to the vendor
who sold you the paper
' 2 5 ..
goes toward
printing costs
Vendor orientations are at 1 p.m. every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday at the Street Roots office.