Lipscomb junior Jordan Lewis, a nursing major from Chattanooga, Tenn., has developed a strong friendship with one of “The Contributor” retailers. At times, Lewis’ friend, Michael “Bama” Farley, is seen selling the newspapers — that help get the homeless off the street — by the Kroger on Gallatin Pike.
“The Contributor” strives to print a monthly paper that provides both a diversity of perspectives on homelessness and poverty and a source of income for homeless and formerly homeless individuals, while creating community between vendors and customers.
“The Contributor” employs more than 250 vendors, some of whom are homeless, while others have managed to get off the streets. Both homeless and non-homeless people write for the paper.
Lewis and Bama met at Tent City when he and his wife were living there in April 2010. Since then, they have kept in contact. Working as a vendor, Bama is now able to provide the groceries that he and his wife need.
“[‘The Contributor’] gives the sellers hope,” Lewis said. “It is a job that anyone can do and it opens the door for more opportunities. They are working for the next step; they either want to be the best at selling ‘The Contributor,’ or they are trying to find another job.”
Not only does the paper make an impact on the vendors, but Lewis says it’s also an eye-opener for the Nashville community.
“It is reaching out to the rich people to see that there are homeless people that are working for money, not just panhandling,” Lewis said.
Bama and Stacy are currently living at the Hobson House in East Nashville. They are saving a portion of Bama’s wages to be able to rent an apartment, while Stacy, Bama’s wife, is in school to become a medical assistant. Lewis said that Bama even tries to occasionally buy her food.
Since January of 2009, “The Contributor” newspaper sales have increased by 250 percent. This street newspaper generates jobs and therefore creates an income to sustain Nashville’s homeless.
“The Contributor” website reports that for vendors who have been selling for a month, 29 percent have found housing since they started selling. Vendors who had sold for at least three months had a 35 percent rate of finding housing.