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Vendor Tony Boone is on the beat

On the chilly afternoon when we spoke, Tony Boone was about to go to Canby for three days where he has a job making clothes at an old friend’s house. He doesn’t think of it as work though. “It’s a vacation,” he tells me. Over the next few days, as Portlan ...

15 Feb 2014 - Sam Bouman
Athens 2021 A.D.

In stark contrast to the ancient city that once flourished with ideas and commerce, today there is only the exchange of small arms fire and artillery shells within the city center, as the soldiers check their weapons. Reloading clips, stocking grenades, a ...

15 Feb 2014 - William Holmes IV
A smile goes a long way toward a better day

When I first meet William, downtown was shuttered by a snowstorm. Despite having slept outside in the cold the night before, William is in a good mood. “Today is a good day,” he says. “Sympathy day.” For William, it seems bad weather makes for better sale ...

10 Mar 2014 - Ann-Derrick Gaillot
Sharing art and a good story, too

When Harry Richards and I sit down for our interview, the first thing he asks me is if I want half of his burger. You have to learn how to share, he explained, when you grow up in a big family like he did. Now, Harry shares in a different way – through ar ...

27 Mar 2014 - Sarah Hansell
Injury inspires vendor to help others’ lives

It’s not always easy to stay positive when you don’t have a bed to sleep in, a roof over your head, or a job to support you. Evan, however, doesn’t seem to have trouble keeping a smile on his face throughout the short time I sat down to chat with him. “I ...

18 Apr 2014 - Sarah Hansell
Small town heart in a big city

Before we sat down at the café around the corner from the Street Roots office, I asked Robert how he was doing. “Another day in paradise,” he said, without a hint of the irony or bitterness that usually colors that response. He has a friendly and open way ...

7 May 2014 - Sam Bouman
Sharing smiles with customers, friends alike

For Allen Butera, Street Roots isn’t just an income opportunity. It’s work that helps make his recovery process possible. “I’m more focused on my recovery right now than anything else,” he said. He’s been staying in a clean and sober facility and particip ...

22 May 2014 - Sarah Hansell
A big goal, one paper at a time

Ron Bryant started selling Street Roots in April to work towards his long-term goal of a steady job and a home of his own where his three children can live with him. “My main motivation is my children,” he said. “Always has been, always will be.” Since he ...

18 Jun 2014 - Sarah Hansell
Rebuilding a foundation with friends

When Lori Lematta first started selling Street Roots in March, it was to meet her immediate needs — bus tickets, phone minutes, a driver’s license, vet trips for her 10-year-old dachshund Susie. Now, however, Street Roots gives her a little more than a sm ...

2 Jul 2014 - Sarah Hansell
Tips to support your Street Roots vendor this summer

Street Roots vendors work hard in the summer. It’s not easy. Being homeless in the summertime isn’t any fun. Longer periods of daylight are a welcome sign for many Portlanders, but for many people on the streets it can mean going long stretches of time wi ...

10 Jul 2014 - Israel Bayer