The Contributor Inc

PRINT AND DISTRIBUTE A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER THAT FOCUSES ON ISSUES SURROUNDING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY AND IS SOLD BY HOMELESS AND FORMERLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ON THE STREET AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PANHANDLING.

OUR C.O.V.E.R. HOUSING NAVIGATION PROGRAM OFFERS PERSON-CENTERED SUPPORT TO OUR VENDORS, FROM OBTAINING IDENTIFICATION AND LIFE-LINE PHONES, TO FINDING AND FURNISHING AN APARTMENT, OUR APPROACH IS TESTED ON THE GROUND EVERY SINGLE DAY AND IS ALSO BACKED UP BY ROBUST LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH ACROSS COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE. THE HOUSING FIRST MODE HAS SHOWN PROMISING RESULTS IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND CHANGING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF UNHOUSED PERSONS. HOWEVER, THE CONTRIBUTOR'S MODEL PROVIDES A CRUCIAL MISSING PIECE: CONSISTENT, REGULAR CONTACT AND SMALL-SCALE AID TO ITS CONSTITUENTS, COMBINED WITH ACTUAL INCOME TO SECURE INTERIM HOUSING AND NECESSITIES. RESEARCH SHOWS OF ALL VENDORS WHO SELL THE CONTRIBUTOR FOR SIX MONTHS OR MORE, OVER SEVENTY PERCENT TRANSITION INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.

WE PRINT A BI-WEEKLY, HYPERLOCAL NEWSPAPER THAT CHALLENGES STEREOTYPES SURROUNDING HOMELESSNESS AND TELLS THE STORIES OF OUR CONTRIBUTOR VENDORS. PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS RECEIVE TRAINING AND CREATE THEIR OWN MICRO-BUSINESS BY PURCHASING COPIES OF THE PAPER AND SELLING THEM TO THE PUBLIC. CONTRIBUTOR VENDORS RECEIVE A STARTER PACK THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BEGIN SAFELY SELLING PAPERS IMMEDIATELY, AND A BUS PASS TO RETURN. NOT ONLY DOES THIS INCOME ENCOURAGE DIGNITY AND SELF-ESTEEM AMONG CONTRIBUTOR VENDORS, IT'S ALSO OFTEN THE CRUCIAL LIFELINE BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN NIGHTS ON THE STREETS AND SIGNING THE LEASE ON A HOME TO CALL ONE'S OWN. UNLIKE PANHANDLING, A VENDOR'S PAPER PURCHASES ARE TRACKED IN OUR DATABASE AND CAN BE USED FOR SUBSIDIZED AND TRADITIONAL HOUSING APPLICATIONS.