The Contributor (street paper)

The Contributor is a monthly street newspaper published in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. The paper is published the final Wednesday of every month. The Contributor is sold on public property by homeless and formerly homeless people (vendors) who purchase papers for 25¢ each and resell them on the street for $1 each plus tips - keeping the entire profit of the sale.^[1] The paper's content focuses on issues surrounding homelessness and poverty and is written by local journalists as well as people experiencing homelessness or working within the homeless community.

Vendors of The Contributor have a 30% rate of finding housing utilizing income from their paper sales.^[2]

History

The Contributor was established in 2007 by a core group of volunteers. The first issue was published in November of that year and had a circulation of about 800 copies. The paper publishes consistently on a monthly basis and has greatly expanded its circulation and vendor network to become the highest-circulating street newspaper of its kind in North America—circulating more than 100,000 papers per month.^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

In 2010, The Contributor received 501(c)(3) status, becoming an independent non-profit organization. One of the founders of The Contributor received the Tennessee Titans Community Quarterback award for their volunteer efforts with the paper.^[7] The award came with a $10,000 grant.

In July 2011, the newspaper sued Brentwood, Tennessee for banning the sale on its premises.^[8]

The Contributor is one of many street newspapers in the United States, including Real Change in Seattle, Washington and Spare Change News in Boston, Massachusetts.

Affiliations

The Contributor is a member of the North American Street Newspaper Association and the International Network of Street Papers.

References

External links

• The Contributor home page