A HAND UP, NOT A HAND OUT

‘Contributor’ vendors share the impact the organization has had on them

In 2020, The Contributor was the only street paper in the country to never cease printing. And we had our vendors’ backs in a whole new way through our new C.O.V.E.R. program. With a tiny team of housing navigators, we were able to get more than 50 vendors under their own roofs in the last year. All the while, we continued to provide a low-barrier means of income, and other resources like bus passes, meals, hand warmers and ponchos.

Perhaps most importantly, we provided a place for vendors to come and be treated like the business people they are, and an opportunity to connect with neighbors. We are doing more than handing out basic needs, we’re giving a hand up and a path into housing.

In this paper, we’ve shared stories of vendors and how The Contributor has affected them. Here are some of their own words:

“When I started working The Contributor, I didn’t know how to talk to people. I didn’t know how to communicate. It’s helped me open up and talk to people, which was real hard. It’s helped me a lot to stand up for myself, stop letting people run over me, use me. I have a lot of customer friends at the store that I’ve gotten real close with. A lot of people that God’s put in my life that’s helping me. And I’ve met them through selling papers.” — June P.

June P.

“[My landlord] said ‘you sell a paper, how are you going to pay rent?’ You know, it’s been over 300 weeks and I’ve never been late once.” — Keith D.

Keith D.

“I thank God every day that He opened my eyes and gave me an opportunity to do something. I just never have been the kind of person to just sit under the shade tree all day, just idly let my day go by. I get up and find something to do. And The Contributor really give me something to do.” — Pierre T.

Pierre T.

“You know, I have more information to offer. I just don’t always say, ‘oh, I need this because I’m homeless and giving this to you because I need money.’ No, I say, ‘this has got some interesting articles, local journalists here who write about things that [TV news] doesn’t really cover,’ you know? They cover issues that are ongoing in the community, and they look for things to be improved.” — Wendell J.

Wendell J.

“When I go out to work and come back, this room and The Contributor has given me a glimpse again of something that I forgot about. At one time I was just a regular guy and I worked hard and I had a place to live. This reminded me of something that I had forgotten and circumstances took from me. It’s giving me a glimpse of not only what was but what could be again, if only I can stay the course.” — Carl D.

Between May 6 at 6 p.m. and May 7 at 6 p.m., we are joining Middle Tennessee nonprofits in a friendly fundraising competition, The Big Payback.

When you give to The Contributor — be it through buying the paper from a vendor or donating to the organization — you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. You’re giving a hand up to people climbing out of homelessness, giving them a chance to connect with their neighbors, getting them into housing, and helping them stay there.

It’s a hand up, not a hand out.

Visit thebigpayback.org/thecontributor to donate.