Budget
$125,000.00
Description
Every two weeks, a new issue of The Contributor newspaper is published by our editorial team and focuses on issues surrounding homelessness and poverty, and other general interest content with the help of staff writers and freelance writers. Paid contributions from Contributor vendors cover a variety of topics, and often include experiences and interests that help break down stereotypes of homelessness. This further serves to break down barriers and misconceptions within the general population readership and promotes the freedoms found within the First Amendment. Contributor staff work closely with vendors to feature unique contributions in the paper by encouraging them to submit editorial work in the form of individual vendor spotlights, poetry, art, and writing. Vendors are also encouraged attend a writing workshop held after each Wednesday paper release meeting.
Program Successes
We are the 3rd largest circulated street paper in North America.
Category
Civil Rights, Social Action, Advocacy  - Censorship, Freedom of Speech & Press 
Beneficiaries
General Public
Long-term Success
The Contributor has been in continuous print since 2007 and has never missed an issue. The public relies on it to give a voice to the voiceless and to raise awareness of our neighbors experiencing homelessness,
Short-term Success
During the Covid-19 pandemic and enforced social distancing, The Contributor newspaper remains in print. In the face of possible "shelter in place," The Contributor will transition temporarily to Contributor-Live digital edition and never miss an issue. It will be a first person account of how our homeless or poverty stricken neighbors experienced the pandemic as we print our vendors' stories, but also of the hope and creativity Nashvillians discover as they band together to survive.
Program Success Monitored By
Co-editors: Amanda Haggard and Linda Bailey
Executive Director: Cathy Jennings
Program Areas Served
Local newspaper covering social justice issues in Middle Tennessee and related global stories from INSP., Subscriptions extend our reach to the US.

Budget
$530,000.00
Description
C.O.V.E.R. Creating Opportunities for Vendor Engagement/Entrepreneurship and Housing. Our One Stop Shop has participants covered with employment training and housing/resource navigation. Participants will work with a Housing Navigator and a Resource Coordinator to determine their quality of life goals and end the cycle of homelessness.
They will receive assistance and subsidies to obtain the three documents you must have to gain traditional employment or housing: Birth Certificate, State ID, and Social Security cards.
An onsite Housing Navigator will input them into HMIS, and submit their applications to housing resources, food stamps, and health insurance.
Partnerships with local agencies and our staff provide support during the transition to housing.
Partnerships with local businesses provide alternative job opportunities and traditional employment.
70% of our six-month tenured vendors obtain housing. Dozens more obtain identification, SNAP, and health insurance.

Program Successes
Paul was a 65 year old man living under Jefferson Street bridge who was genetically and legally blind from retinitis pigmentosa. He also has severe COPD and Hep C. He had been working with another housing navigator for over a year. He had sold The Contributor for 9 months and became our first individual in the Ready to Work program. We were able to clear a 8 yr old section 8 debt, obtain all 3 identification documents, obtain medical insurance and thus treatment for his COPD & Hep C, update his SNAP, obtain a phone, and moved him into Urban Housing Solutions Mercury Court, with a caregiver, within 6 months. Through a partnership, his apartment was readied with dishes, foods, sheets and even a TV. But the best part is he has a community and dignity. He works everyday on his corner in front of Pucketts in downtown Nashville, eating lunch in The Contributor sales office. He is but one success story. There are many, many more who need someone to simplify the process.
Beneficiaries
Unhoused individuals
Long-term Success
The Contributor will facilitate and simplify the path to a legitimate income and housing for the chronically homeless by combining an extremely low barrier workforce program (Vendor Paper Sales Program) with a "housing/resources" program( C.O.V.E.R. Program). Outcomes will be measurable as people unable to navigate the path to housing will work with people they trust, in a location they already come to to buy papers (and thus make money), to find housing, health insurance, SNAP, and employment connections. As their quality of life improves, so does all quality of life in middle Tennessee: more people in housing and less people sleeping on the streets.
Short-term Success
100% of individuals will work with a housing navigator and resources specialist, 90% will apply for documents necessary for housing and traditional employment and be referred, 90% will apply for housing programs (MDHA, Section 8, Salvation Army etc ). Housing depends upon actual availability but we've had great success with chronically homeless individuals who sell papers, but were unable- for emotional, mental, or physical reasons -to navigate the complicated housing system, keep appointments, get transportation etc. The "one-stop-shop" of having their income (paper sales) and housing navigator in the same location has been very successful.
Program Success Monitored By
Number of vendors enrolled
Number of identification documents, health insurance benefits, SNAP benefits applied for: obtained,
Number of vendors submit housing applications : obtained
Number of vendors connected to education/employment opportunities.
Softer success items of working with vendors past their fear of the social security office, or distrusts of case managers.
Self reported growth in self esteem, income, work success, and feelings of safety.

Program Areas Served
Housing Navigation, Resource coordination, Employment and Training, Mental Health/Addiction referrals

Budget
$132,000.00
Description
A low barrier workforce opportunity for people experiencing homelessness. Each 'vendor' is given the opportunity to create a sustainable micro-business and is empowered to set and achieve their own financial goals. Vendors are trained how to sell the paper, sign a Code of Conduct, and are given all the tools needed to start a vending business at no cost or risk. After training, a vendor is given ten free copies of the paper, then the vendors purchase the papers for $0.50 per copy and sell the papers on the streets to their customers at a retail price of $2.00 per copy. Each vendor is encouraged to grow their micro-business by meeting or exceeding monthly sales quotas and incentivized with free papers, gear, and grocery vouchers. They are supported at bi-weekly breakfast/paper release meeting that program in sales training, community resources such as flu shots, legal aid advice, job fairs, and writing classes. Vendors are paid cash for their published articles, stories, and poems
Program Successes
Mario was a Channel 5 cameraman when he suffered a debilitating cardiac arrest. He opened his own business in 2008, becoming a victim of the economic collapse. He was living in a car with his 3 dogs when he came to our office, hopeless but willing to try. Mario worked hard and grew a successful paper business. His customers grew to love him. He moved out of his car and into a customer's barn. He saved his money & bought a lawn mower and started his own business. One of his customers sold him a very small house. Mario is a spokesperson for The Contributor, who he says believed in him and gave him a chance.
Vicky was a single mom with two kids and a dog and no child support. She was also ill and had too many evictions which resulted in them living in a car. She began selling The Contributor and discovered she was a good writer. She wrote for us and started a blog which has national attention. Vicky is in housing now. She credits us with her indepence,
Beneficiaries
Unhoused individuals
Long-term Success
People experiencing homelessness receive training, support, incentives and gear as they grow their own microbusinesses. Unlike panhandling, A vendor's paper purchases are tracked in our database, becoming legitimate income, and can be used for subsidized and traditional housing applications, which are facilitated in our "Ready to Work" program. Our offices are open 6 days a week for vendors to replenish their supply, discuss concerns, have a friendly chat, or grab some hot lunch. Bi-weekly paper release meetings serve hot breakfast, offer valuable services (flu shots, housing navigation, health insurance information etc.) and establish a strong sense of community. In the last 9 years, vendors have earned nearly $16,000,000 and have become Contributors to the Middle Tennessee economy. Valuable relationships are formed with volunteers and the community. In the past 70% of our vendors obtain housing, but combined with our housing program, our goal is 80%. .

Short-term Success
Annually, 500 neighbors experiences homelessness will come to The Contributor for assistance. Many are chronically homeless and have panhandled for many months. This program offers them an immediate trackable way to earn a legitimate income and a path to housing. Of the 500 we serve, over 150 of those will become active vendors, earning an immediate legitimate income to apply for subsidized and traditional housing and establishing meaningful relationships in the community. Those vendors will purchase 200,000 papers a year and sell them to the community. 99% of them will experience dignity and independence form work. 80% of them will obtain housing. Many move onto more traditional employment.
Program Success Monitored By
We monitor the success of this program with our database, which tracks paper sales, averages, personal info, and vendor notes and complaints. We also track info on observable and self reported success in income, feelings of self esteem, financial successes (new jobs, housing, transportation,) appearance (clothing, cleanliness, teeth) in 90% of active vendors.
Program Areas Served
Low Barrier Workforce Opportunity in Middle Tennessee