Irida appreciates her customer’s support as she adjusts to city life Irida was accustomed to a small-town lifestyle before she moved to Portland. Coming from Arkansas, Irida and her partner at first found it overwhelming. “Just there being public transit ...
25 Jan 2023 - Emily Emanuel
Vendor Jack Van Dyke is ambitious about his future Street Roots vendor Jack Van Dyke’s brown “Bike First” T-shirt hints at his ambitions. “My goal is to be a delivery man on my bike," he said. "Maybe I will start my own thing, Jack’s Bike Delive ...
18 Jan 2023 - Meg Eberle
Vendor Michael embraces new friends, new people and new opportunities Michael Bailey is grateful for resources in Portland and would like for others to be aware of and have access to these opportunities. Organizations like Central City Concern, Do Good Mu ...
11 Jan 2023 - Robin Havenick
Mel is thankful for his customers and the behavioral health program Longtime vendor Mel Taylor is a familiar face around Street Roots and the Pearl District, where he has been selling Street Roots outside the REI store in Northwest Portland since 2014. “I ...
4 Jan 2023 - Jessica Hamilton
Peter challenges assumptions about homelessness and encourages compassion Street Roots vendor Peter Clark is excited to be working again and hopes to raise enough money to move back home to Syracuse, New York. He moved to Portland 10 years ago for the med ...
28 Dec 2022 - Jessica Hamilton
Vendor Leka found a support system here in Portland Coming to Portland from Hawai’i brought some culture shock for Street Roots vendor Leka. In Hawai’i, Leka said, “the way they process everything — it’s a little bit slower. It feels more natural." L ...
21 Dec 2022 - Emily Emanuel
Randy didn’t give up when he lost his belongings, he took action, fighting the ‘bigwigs’ Living unhoused in pre-pandemic Portland, Randy Humphreys was a victim of a city sweep in which contractors discarded his personal belongings like trash. For unhoused ...
14 Dec 2022 - Sasha Azizi Ros...
Sonya found a new start as a vendor and ambassador The root cause for houselessness hardly comes from a cookie-cutter mold, but a common cause is the crumbling of a relationship with a spouse or family member. Even though Sonya Aho owns a home, she camped ...
7 Dec 2022 - Meg Eberle
Vendor Rabbit utilizes the resources and opportunities in his reach One of the first things you might want to ask Rabbit is how he got his name. His story, as almost everything he shares about himself, is grounded in his family. “My son was five then,” he ...
30 Nov 2022 - Robin Havenick
Rick Davis has been keeps busy with work and volunteering Rick Davis, a longtime Street Roots vendor, likes to keep himself busy. About a year ago, he started working at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, where he helps serve meals to people experiencing housel ...
23 Nov 2022 - Dylan Jefferies