Causes: Homeless & Housing, Homeless Centers, Human Services
Mission: The mission of Street Sense is to empower the homeless and educate the public about issues of homelessness, utilizing a bi-weekly newspaper as the vehicle. Street Sense works to address the challenges of homelessness in a unique and innovative way – by providing a low-barrier employment opportunity for homeless men and women to earn an income and move toward financial self-sufficiency. Homeless “vendors” make a personal financial investment in the paper, purchasing each issue for 35 cents and selling the paper for one dollar, earning on average $45 per day. In addition to the economic opportunities afforded by Street Sense, the organization gives those facing homelessness a voice; about half of the articles in Street Sense are written by homeless and formerly homeless vendors.
Results: Street Sense was established in August 2003 after two volunteers, Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson, approached the National Coalition for the Homeless with the idea to start a newspaper as a means of empowering the less fortunate. On November 15,2003, the first issue of Street Sense debuted with just a dozen homeless vendors selling 5,000 copies. Today, Street Sense has three professionals, more than 100 active vendors and nearly 30,000 copies in circulation each month. Street Sense is a member of the National Association of Street Newspapers (NASNA), which comprises thirty street newspapers across North America. For Street Sense to be successful, vendors must be making improvements in their lives. Our most recent vendor survey indicates that 19% of responding vendors moved into housing of their own since coming to Street Sense and 21% began full- or part-time jobs. Nearly 100% of vendors reported improvements in their lives through reconnecting with family, obtaining drug or alcohol treatment or simply gaining a sense of pride and self-respect; the vendors attribute these successes to Street Sense. One vendor said of Street Sense, “It’s like a string of pearls…one good thing after another. ” Another vendor, commenting on the changes Street Sense brought to his life: “An increase in self-esteem, residential stability, a stronger determination and focus for my life and the ability to start living my dreams. ”
Target demographics: Our target group is the homeless population of Washington, DC. Currently, we have 102 active vendors. They are a racially- and ethnically-diverse group, including men and women and ranging in age from 20-70 years old. Further we seek to educate the entire metropolitan area about the issues of homelessness, hunger and poverty.
Direct beneficiaries per year: Currently, more than 100 homeless vendors are earning an income, regaining a sense of dignity and moving on a path toward financial self-sufficiency through Street Sense. Many more are impacted by the organization each year.
Geographic areas served: Washington, D. C. Metro Area
Programs: We produce Street Sense, a 16-page bi-weekly newspaper, and provide it at a price below cost, to homeless individuals who then sell the paper and keep the proceeds to support daily survival and, ultimately, move them out of homelessness. Anyone can become a Street Sense vendor by attending a one-hour training session. New vendors receive a small supply of free papers to help them get started; established vendors make a personal investment of $. 35 for each copy and then sell the paper for a $1 donation (many customers pay more). The vendors are independent contractors who strategically choose their locations and the hours that they sell. Our most determined vendors sell up to 1,000 papers each month. The average Street Sense vendor earns $45 a day and sells papers for four hours each day. A subset of Street Sense vendors write, edit or lay out the paper, earning free newspapers. The organization is increasingly focused on providing training to vendors to help them sell the paper successfully and arm them with the necessary skills to secure full-time employment. In January 2010, Street Sense launched a series of workshops focused on skill-building in the areas of sales, technology and job interviewing.
Mission: The mission of Street Sense is to empower the homeless and educate the public about issues of homelessness, utilizing a bi-weekly newspaper as the vehicle. Street Sense works to address the challenges of homelessness in a unique and innovative way – by providing a low-barrier employment opportunity for homeless men and women to earn an income and move toward financial self-sufficiency. Homeless “vendors” make a personal financial investment in the paper, purchasing each issue for 35 cents and selling the paper for one dollar, earning on average $45 per day. In addition to the economic opportunities afforded by Street Sense, the organization gives those facing homelessness a voice; about half of the articles in Street Sense are written by homeless and formerly homeless vendors.
Results: Street Sense was established in August 2003 after two volunteers, Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson, approached the National Coalition for the Homeless with the idea to start a newspaper as a means of empowering the less fortunate. On November 15,2003, the first issue of Street Sense debuted with just a dozen homeless vendors selling 5,000 copies. Today, Street Sense has three professionals, more than 100 active vendors and nearly 30,000 copies in circulation each month. Street Sense is a member of the National Association of Street Newspapers (NASNA), which comprises thirty street newspapers across North America. For Street Sense to be successful, vendors must be making improvements in their lives. Our most recent vendor survey indicates that 19% of responding vendors moved into housing of their own since coming to Street Sense and 21% began full- or part-time jobs. Nearly 100% of vendors reported improvements in their lives through reconnecting with family, obtaining drug or alcohol treatment or simply gaining a sense of pride and self-respect; the vendors attribute these successes to Street Sense. One vendor said of Street Sense, “It’s like a string of pearls…one good thing after another. ” Another vendor, commenting on the changes Street Sense brought to his life: “An increase in self-esteem, residential stability, a stronger determination and focus for my life and the ability to start living my dreams. ”
Target demographics: Our target group is the homeless population of Washington, DC. Currently, we have 102 active vendors. They are a racially- and ethnically-diverse group, including men and women and ranging in age from 20-70 years old. Further we seek to educate the entire metropolitan area about the issues of homelessness, hunger and poverty.
Direct beneficiaries per year: Currently, more than 100 homeless vendors are earning an income, regaining a sense of dignity and moving on a path toward financial self-sufficiency through Street Sense. Many more are impacted by the organization each year.
Geographic areas served: Washington, D. C. Metro Area
Programs: We produce Street Sense, a 16-page bi-weekly newspaper, and provide it at a price below cost, to homeless individuals who then sell the paper and keep the proceeds to support daily survival and, ultimately, move them out of homelessness. Anyone can become a Street Sense vendor by attending a one-hour training session. New vendors receive a small supply of free papers to help them get started; established vendors make a personal investment of $. 35 for each copy and then sell the paper for a $1 donation (many customers pay more). The vendors are independent contractors who strategically choose their locations and the hours that they sell. Our most determined vendors sell up to 1,000 papers each month. The average Street Sense vendor earns $45 a day and sells papers for four hours each day. A subset of Street Sense vendors write, edit or lay out the paper, earning free newspapers. The organization is increasingly focused on providing training to vendors to help them sell the paper successfully and arm them with the necessary skills to secure full-time employment. In January 2010, Street Sense launched a series of workshops focused on skill-building in the areas of sales, technology and job interviewing.
info@streetsense.org
1317 G St Nw, Washington, DC 20005
202-347-2006
Homeless & Housing
Washington
