Rainbow, who aims to be a role model for people with mental illness, has started making plans for themself Christine “Rainbow” Stief reflected on their first vendor meeting at Street Roots, an organization they credit with keeping them safe and providing ...
21 Apr 2021 - Jessica Hamilton
Norman wants his customers to know he cares about them “ You’ve got a great heart, Norman,” the doctor said, referring to Norman’s health and applauding the fact that at 67 years old, Norman has been able to navigate the COVID-19 crisis this past winter w ...
14 Apr 2021 - Robin Havenick
The sunshine, the flowers, tax season and more Now that spring is upon us, we wanted to know what Street Roots vendors are looking forward to in the coming weeks and their favorite things about the season. Here are a few of their lists: Jim “River” Reese ...
7 Apr 2021 - Kat Wasula
Racheal has a roof over her head, but she hasn't forgotten how hard it was to survive on the streets Before Racheal Dulaney’s mother died of cancer, she made Racheal promise to leave her abusive marriage. If she didn’t, her mom said, she’d come back ...
31 Mar 2021 - Pat Zimmer
Belinda is grateful for the community and friendships she’s built through Street Roots B elinda Estermyer is one half of a sister duo selling papers for Street Roots. She and her sister, Karen Fleming, moved to Portland from Missoula, Montana, and had pre ...
24 Mar 2021 - Jessica Hamilton
Today, ‘life is good’ for Eileen, who has had an apartment since 2019 As a poet, Eileen Vizenor has built a body of work spanning the past few decades of her life. Some of her early work explores life in Portland as a homeless woman. But now that Eileen h ...
17 Mar 2021 - Robin Havenick
Before he suffered an injury, Brian worked in his family's restaurant Brian Alton is a Portland native, but he misses the beach. “The coast is more laid back,” said Brian, who used to work at his family’s restaurant at the coast. “People aren’t rushi ...
3 Mar 2021 - Kat Wasula
Vern was nervous to venture into a new space to sell papers, but he’s glad he did Two years ago, Vern was a smiling face around the Street Roots office, but he only sold papers across the street at Starbucks. That’s because Vern hadn’t left the block on N ...
24 Feb 2021 - Pat Zimmer
Paulette has been selling the paper for decades and loves it Longtime vendor Paulette Bade didn’t let the February weather dampen her mood. Living in senior housing qualified Paulette to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and she was both unfazed by the rai ...
17 Feb 2021 - Jessica Hamilton
Dorothy plans to continue school as she pursues her dream of opening a business Dorothy Pepper was addressing thank-you letters to donors at the Street Roots office before her interview for this profile. She has been a Street Roots vendor for just over a ...
10 Feb 2021 - Kat Wasula