Joe V. puts a lot of effort into his table setup at his post outside of Safeway on Northwest Lovejoy Street and 13th Avenue.
He places two solid wood TV dinner stands adjacent to each other. On one table, he lays his papers out neatly. On the other, he places a cash tray and a tablet so customers can pay with either Venmo or CashApp. Joe sits behind the tables. On nice days, he brings his beloved dog, Gilgamesh. Gil, for short.
He takes pride in his setup, and his customers appreciate the effort.
“They say that it looks very professional and nice and tidy,” Joe said.
For Joe, this post is intimate and familiar.
Joe measures time by how long he and Gil have been together. He started selling Street Roots “when Gil was about 6 months old.” Twelve years ago, in other words. He’s been selling Street Roots at his Safeway post ever since, and over the years, he’s become a staple of the community.
“I’ve had regular customers there off and on for 12 years,” he said.
Joe lived on the streets for 20 years, moving back and forth between Portland and his birthplace of Salt Lake City. Twelve years ago, Joe met Gil, then a small abandoned puppy, under the Burnside Bridge. Someone who was supposed to come pick up Gil failed to show, and Joe took him instead.
Then, his life changed.
Shortly after finding Gil, Joe found Street Roots. Through a Street Roots vendor profile, a Transition Projects caseworker found Joe, and he offered to help Joe and Gil get into housing.
Joe’s lived in various apartments ever since. As Joe puts it: “I got off the streets when Gil was about a year old.”
Joe’s been in his current apartment for about a year. He has a standing air conditioning unit, which proved invaluable during the record-breaking June heatwave, and video games like Call of Duty, a personal favorite.
Street Roots is Joe’s main source of income, and he’s almost always out selling papers on weekdays. He’s seen a bit more traffic since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted on June 30.
The pandemic was challenging for Joe. Last June, he encouraged Street Roots staff to resume print editions of the paper so he could get back to work.
Now, he’s grateful to see those familiar faces that have been coming to him for new editions for over a decade.
“I’m glad that they’re still coming around,” Joe said. “I’d just like to thank my customers for their support.”
Street Roots is an award-winning weekly publication focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
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