Streetwise

Kudos to this organization for empowering the homeless by giving them the means to help them help themselves.

I work in the Loop and there's pretty much a Streetwise vendor on every corner jockeying for position amongst the other random people trying to get you to part with your money.

The Streetwise vendor on the corner by my office building is one of the kindest people I've ever talked to. I smile at him every day, and always buy a Streetwise on Fridays. I wish I could afford to buy one more often, but I have limited discretionary charitable funds. A few months ago, there was a 'vendor profile' tucked in the magazine and I learned about how he came to be homeless. It was a sad story, but he's trying to get back on his feet and regain his life. He wasn't a substance abuser or mentally ill, but an immigrant that had a work accident, didn't have health insurance, subsequently lost his job, and because of it, fell on hard times.

He's never aggressive about selling Streetwise, and he makes me smile because he's genuinely appreciative and grateful for every paper someone buys from him.

I don't have a lot of gifts to buy this year, so today I gave him $20 for my weekly Streetwise. I thought he was going to cry, then I thought I was going to cry.

There but for grace of fate go I, so I shall always support Streetwise as long as I have an extra dollar or two in my pocket.

I'll preface this by saying that I'm generally a socially conscious person. I don't give to charity, but only because I'm almost as broke as they are, so I can't afford it.

For the year I've been in Chicago, I've worked at a cafe. I usually take the bus, and it's a little walk from the stop to work. That's fine. What isn't fine is the damn Streetwise lady yelling *every* time I walk past. She comes in the cafe and uses our bathroom all the time. Whatever. Girl's gotta pee. But she talks incessantly when she comes in. I'm sorry -- I'm waiting on customers. You'll have to take your crazy elsewhere. And she talks about how she's born again. And instead of saying "bye," she says, "be blessed." Thirteen years of Catholic school taught me to be an athiest, so I'm all for *you* finding Jesus. But you can have him, and I don't need to know about it.

So for the majority of this year, she's been stationed down the street, in front of Potbelly's. Well, Potbelly's finally got fed up with her. So where did she go? Right in front of Selmare. Fuck! The patio's open, it's beautiful outside, little kids are running around too fast for their little legs, and every five seconds you hear the chorus of "Streetwise, Streetwise, help the homeless, only a dollar" over your chopped salad or breakfast burrito.

I'll give you a hundred dollars if you shut the fuck up, and get away from my restaurant..

Streetwise is a great little local publication with good articles on social issues as well as fluffier entertainment stuff.

Purchasing Streetwise is also a great way to give to those needing a "hand up" without worrying your money will be spent irresponsibly. Vendors are almost always really nice, hardworking people.

Until our government gets its act together, this is one of the best solutions to homelessness out there.