Two Street Roots vendors had been living in the camp for months without hassle On Wednesday, Jan. 10, David Samson called the Street Roots office for his fiancé, Bettyjo Griffiths. His message: Come quickly, their camp was being swept. Before Bettyjo left ...
11 Jan 2019 - Kaia Sand
Director’s Desk | The effort needs to go toward listening to and representing unhoused communities Two vendors leaned on the garbage can outside our office, a cloth spread over its lid like a tablecloth as they organized items from their pockets. They wer ...
21 Dec 2018 - Kaia Sand
Justice is often fleeting for people in poverty Dr. Christine Blasey Ford captured the attention of people across the nation with her strength as she educated the country about trauma and memory and courage. Like so many of you – gathered around televisio ...
5 Oct 2018 - Kaia Sand
DIRECTOR’S DESK | Criminalizing people for being homeless is cruel and inhumane, the Ninth Circuit Court ruled A lot gets written in a day, and on Tuesday, Sept. 4, Donald Trump managed to punch out 16 wild and furious tweets. But among this frenzy, it’s ...
7 Sep 2018 - Kaia Sand
Mercy Corps Northwest is piloting a program for several Street Roots vendors, matching income they earn with money for housing costs Recently, a Street Roots vendor showed up in our office refreshed. His face looked smoother, more rested, than it had earl ...
24 Aug 2018 - Kaia Sand
In recent weeks, four Street Roots vendors or former vendors have died. We have lit so many candles in our Street Roots office. In recent weeks, four Street Roots vendors or former vendors have died. Andy Howard, Dallas Boyd, Dani Wyatt and David Testawi ...
10 Aug 2018 - Kaia Sand
If plans for a remote homeless shelter materialize, the developer should find a new way to listen to homeless folks about their needs It is a story that has covered yards of newsprint – Wapato jail and its possibility for sheltering people who are homeles ...
27 Apr 2018 - Kaia Sand
Several Street Roots vendors were at Cityteam, some for shelter and others for an AA meeting, when police shot John Elifritz on April 7 It has been a hard week at Street Roots. A handful of our vendors witnessed the police shooting Saturday night at Cityt ...
13 Apr 2018 - Kaia Sand
SPARC is working with Multnomah County as part of a nationwide effort to change the conversation about racial disparities and homelessness Why does homelessness affect communities of color at higher rates, and how can we make sure that we respond to homel ...
23 Mar 2018 - Kaia Sand
How do we overturn a sentiment that money gives us worth? There is a woman in Old Town who stores her mound of suitcases under a tarp and stays near it, almost as though she were sitting in a room and the walls themselves fell away. On warmer days, she pa ...
23 Feb 2018 - Kaia Sand