The Contributor, Nashville’s homeless newspaper, will increase the pricing of the publication from $1 to $2 and publish weekly starting in April, according to the TheContributor.org
Photo Courtesy of The Contributor
The recent up charge is a result of financial issues for the newspaper in the previous fall months. Most of their monetary fund comes from direct sales to vendors and individual donations, says Founding Executive Director Tasha A. F. Lemley.
The Contributor does more than supply the homeless with a form of income it also forges a connection between them and the Nashville community at large. For example, it “provides a diversity of perspectives and information on the condition of homelessness while highlighting the contributions of homeless and formerly homeless individuals.”
Not to mention that is it “one of the largest-selling street newspapers in North America” according to the NashvilleScene.com
This change is positive for the nonprofit organization and the vendors, because “each homeless vendor will make $1.25 on each issue instead of 75 cents” according to NashvilleScene.com
"The benefits of going weekly far outweigh the challenges" says Lemley, which speaks directly to their mission of “Changing perspectives on homelessness, providing genuine opportunities for advancement and creating community – one newspaper at a time” according to the TheContributor.org