Vendor Writing

NIGHTCRAWLERS

JEN A.

After sunset

In vast multitudes

They slither...

Swell...

Undulate...

From rich loam homes

To envelope every surface Glistening moist...

In the moonlight...

A solid ebony-red mass Alive and moving

Silent...

Hermaphrodites of the dark

At morning twilight

The red tide recedes

Colors begin to return

Grass green, concrete grey

Asphalt black, wood frame white As the sun

Climbs past the horizon

Those languid in torpid afterglow

Endangered by the light

Linger...

Until good people

Bring out their brooms

To whisk away

The creepers of the night

IT’S XMAS

HAROLD B..

What do I want for xmas Let me see… I want to help place the ornaments On the tree

Really… I’d like a few dollars This is true So I can split them With you, you and you

The Contributor Survives

BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Hard to believe, but it’s been almost two years since the relaunch of The Contributor in newspaper format. We were all so full of hope about the future then.

With this upcoming anniversary, we find quite a different scenario underway. The unthinkable happened: a pandemic and along with it a devastating global economic shutdown.

People the world over are losing their livelihood, their jobs, even their lives to an insidious virus that shows no sign of relenting. In fact, it continues to spread like wildfire. Everyone’s life has been affected in one way or another.

The same is true of The Contributor. All in-person meetings have been cancelled or replaced by Zoom teleconferencing.

Though many staff members at The Contributor have reported actually enjoying working from home and spending more time with family, everyone I’ve talked to has expressed one universal complaint: They miss interacting with the vendors.

The office, once buzzing with activity often standing room only, is now anything but. Instead, it is closed off and protected by a plastic shield. Vendors are permitted to approach in a socially distant fashion with masks and hand sanitizer readily available.

In spite of the fact that COVID-19 has posed a real threat to the business model the paper is founded on, The Contributor

has persevered and continued printing during this most difficult time. (It is the only street paper to have done so in the US from March-July.)

One reason the paper felt this was vitally important was so the paper could maintain contact with the vendors — many of them continued to check in even though they weren’t buying papers.

How was the paper able to continue? They were not content with keeping the status quo. The model continues to flex, grow, and expand — something that would be difficult under the best of circumstances has further been hindered by a dwindling volunteer force as many of them are retirees in a high risk group unable to serve at present.

As a result, office hours were drastically reduced from six days a week down to three. (I have it on good authority more volunteers will be back as soon as a vaccine is available.)

The Contributor is now a more multifaceted organization in that they have joined forces with other agencies to provide additional services vendors need during this difficult time — a one stop shop if you will.

Examples include everything from distributing grocery and gift cards, bus passes, birth certificates, accessing stimulus checks, unemployment benefits, food stamps, even rental assistance for vendors in housing.

The paper has also acquired a grant under the C.O.V.E.R. Program that assists

with rapid rehousing of displaced/ homeless individuals, but the organization need s landlords to work with them as liaisons to make that part of the program a success.

Additionally, in an effort to help vendors who are struggling financially, The Contributor has lowered the cost to purchase the papers to .25 ea., also in keeping with the times we’re living in. Thanks to Big Machine Distillery, vendors can also now offer hand sanitizer to their customers. We even have face masks. There are two styles to choose from. One has The Contributor logo and the other says, “Happy to Contribute.” Ask your local vendor for details.

There are even new ways to get your paper: They can be mailed directly to you once a month with the proceeds going to the vendor of your choice.

A one year subscription is $99 (for 26 issues) or 3 month subscription (six issues) for $30. (This is to help cover the cost of mailing.)

Thanks to all the hard work in the area of social media you can even get a digital edition of the paper with your subscription, but I must warn you, you’re giving up something special with these options: personal one-on-one interaction with your vendor!

It is important to note that those who are working so tirelessly in their time of need are also struggling with issues related to the ongoing pandemic — how remarkable!

The creepers of the night

POOR MANAGEMENT

BY VICKY B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

I used to take Faith, my dog, outside for her morning and evening ritual, behind the building where I live. After the time change and it’s getting dark earlier, I’ve noticed the lighting is very poor in the back of the building. The front is well lit, safer, and fewer residents are outside then, so I’d prefer to take her out in the front, however there seems to be a parking issue.

The third shift security guard parks their personal vehicle in a way that blocks, cuts off and obstructs the sidewalk, making it impossible for people to safely cross in front of the building and it’s against the law. Not MDHA law, but the federal government law. The ADA. gov website states, “Path of travel. An alteration that affects or could affect the usability of or access to an area of a facility that contains a primary function shall be made so as to ensure that, to the maximum extent feasible, the path of travel to the altered area and the restrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains serving the altered area are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs, unless the cost and scope of such alterations is disproportionate to the cost of the overall alteration.” I’ve sent numerous emails to the property manager about this.

During a resident meeting prior to COVID-19, the property manager said residents aren’t even allowed to check their oil in the parking lot during a conversation about making vehicle repairs in the parking lot. Lawmakers worked many hours to protect individuals from harm when they created the American Disability Act, and we’re disregarding them.

When I first saw this trend with security guards parking their vehicles up on the sidewalk preventing disabled individuals from using the sidewalk, I was told, “she can park anywhere she wants to.” When I emailed the property manager asking to correct this issue, no response was given. Could it be that she’s making her own rules? Making new MDHA laws? These laws aren’t made by MDHA, they are made by the lawmakers in Congress. Last I checked MDHA hasn’t been given the authority to create new laws that go against the ADA at will. Upon further conversation with the security guard, she told me, “the manager said she’s okay with the way I park.”

I haven’t been writing this series to call anyone out. It’s an attempt to make things better for the community I call home. Many don’t like me here and I’m okay with that because the other residents don’t know me well enough yet. I hear many times that “nothing will ever change.” A mentor of mine taught me to be the change.