Matt is a longtime Street Roots vendor who recently returned to Portland after spending some time away from the city. When asked how long Matt has been with Street Roots, he laughs and answers “So long.” 

For several years, you could find Matt at Southwest 5th Avenue and Yamhill Street, near the Pioneer Place mall downtown. 

“It was a great spot, and I had a lot of loyal, regular customers,” he said.  

Although not a fan of Oregon winters (“It’s too cold here for me,” he said), Matt finds himself returning to Oregon often because of his many loved ones in Portland. Family is also how he got connected with Street Roots. He started selling Street Roots during a time of personal transition. Matt was in need of a job and had lost his housing. He was also about to become a father. 

“My sister Misty introduced me to Street Roots,” he said. “Selling papers gave me flexibility. I could set my own hours and days. I didn’t have that experience at my other jobs.” 

Matt is an upbeat, positive person who chooses to focus on moving forward and his future goals. He doesn’t want his choices or experiences to define him, but also recognizes that he is a survivor who has been through a lot in life. He turned 29 recently, and has been on and off the streets since childhood. 

“The one thing people don’t believe about me is how long I’ve been out here,” he said. “It wasn’t my choice. At 8 years old, I got kicked out. I went back briefly around age 10, but was out again within a day.” 

Matt credits his resilience to simply having no other option but to keep going. 

“You have to choose how you show up and do things in the world. I look back on those things and think, they made me who I am today and made me more mature. They made me super strong as a person.” 

Through his work with Street Roots, Matt plans to continue working on what’s next in life. Right now, he is focused on supporting his mental and physical health, and getting connected with local services. Longer-term personal goals that he is very excited about are getting his driver’s license and a car. When he accomplishes these tasks, he will be able to visit California again. He says he wants to visit Long Beach. 

“I’m ready to hang out, swim in the ocean, and enjoy the warm sun,” Matt said. 

You can often find Matt selling newspapers at his original spot near SW 5th Avenue and Yamhill Street. You can also support Matt through Venmo (@StreetRoots), by including his name and badge number (#1582) in the memo. 

This article appears in March 11, 2026.