Street Roots vendors

Street Roots provides an opportunity for people experiencing homelessness and poverty to earn an income by selling the newspaper.

People walk in off the streets, go through orientation, and begin selling the weekly newspaper. Ten complementary papers launch their efforts, and then they purchase each paper for a quarter that they sell for $1, keeping all profits and tips. Street Roots works with more than 800 vendors annuallly, and about 75 percent of vendors are unhoused. Our commitment to getting money into people's pockets is straightforward: Income is an antidote to poverty. There are too many barriers to housing and employment, and we are committed to supporting people aspire to their best futures.

Vendors are central to Street Roots. All our work at Street Roots is connected to a larger sense of community for people who are disenfranchised from power and societal belonging. Vendors form community with each other as well as staff and volunteers at Street Roots, coming to the office for morning coffee, poetry groups, and conversation. They also form relationships with customers, often across socio-economic divides. Through our work and our engagement with each other, we are stronger together, lifting each other up – and for 20 years, that's what Street Roots vendor program has brought to the Portland metro program area.

Tina Drake talks about the vendor program. Thank you to Leif's Auto Collision Center for producing this video.

Heather Duffield pictured with her quote: "I know I'm meant to do something in this world; I just don't know what yet."

Street Roots vendor profile | A community-oriented person

Heather volunteers on a regular basis and hopes to manage a food pantry once she finds a new home that suits her needs

Kat Wasula

July 21, 2021

Photos of River and Doug, both wearing protective face coverings

Street Roots vendor profile | Continuing their outreach work beyond Street Roots

Doug and River are moving on to Greater Good Northwest, where they will continue the work they’re passionate about

Dylan Jefferies

July 14, 2021

Rick Davis, pictured with his quote: "Street Roots means family to me. We celebrate the good times and the bad, too. Just like family."

Street Roots vendor profile | Missing his customers during the pandemic

Rick looks forward to getting back to his regular spots to sell the newspaper

Jessica Hamilton

June 30, 2021

Street Roots vendor profile | Comfortable with herself

Tru says Pride Month gives her a chance to think about who she is and to give back

Jessica Hamilton

June 16, 2021

Street Roots vendors tell us how they spent their stimulus money

After a long wait, many people who applied through the Street Roots office for the tax credit have finally received their checks

Veronica Ruth

June 9, 2021

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