The List

Like any major project, the "to-do" list is never really complete - things get added all the time. But I finally finished creating the gist of the list today.

As I sincerely hope this list may help anyone else trying to start a street paper in their city, and as I also very sincerely hope someone may come along, read this, and contact me to say, "Hey, I can help with item X on your list," here is what still needs done.

Things to do for Toledo Streets

- Meet with fiscal agent, 1Matters, to discuss:

• Budget
• Claddaugh Inn appetizer party - invitees, date, method of invite
• Networking
• Blade issue
• Tent City feature story interview, photography

- Inaugural issue stories:

• Tent City (Ken, ?)
• Candidates on Toledo Poverty - research; web sites; quotes
• Hoboscope - contact Lemley @ Nashville Contributor
• Henry's column - name; find volunteer/ghost writer; create guidelines
• Faith column - decide length; email Dan
• Interview with vendor - um, GET VENDORS (see below)
• Letter from editor
• Resources page
• Puzzle
• Guest articles - find writers

- Blog:

• Post first entry on toledostreets.org
• Update streetpaperdiaries.blogspot.com (done)
• Start double-posting both blogs (begin with this list)

- Collateral:

• Develop ad guidelines/rates
• Develop press kit for advertisers
• Develop press kit for media/public
• Write/design brochure - general info for donors, advertisers, etc.
• Design vendor recruitment flyer (see Street Roots example from conference)
• Design artist (writers, poets, photographers) recruitment flyer; BLOG IT!

- Vendors:

• Contact Cherry Street facility managers - times for recruitment; orientation
• Introduce Toledo Streets to other area shelters/service organizations
• Code of Conduct (see Street Sense)
• Get city maps (parking authority?) - central biz district, warehouse district, uptown, etc.

- Miscellaneous:

• Develop donor program (put on site)
• More printing quotes
• Write and post Editorial Stance on site
• Research grant opportunities - Toledo Community Foundation & Knight News Service?
• Google Donate button on site?
• Facebook's Causes (maybe do on site instead of Google Donate? clash with 1Matters?)
• Follow up with remaining "wish list" for advisory board
• Set up financial program for tracking $ - Janice

The Sound of Silence

Don't think because there's been no blog post for over two weeks that we've been sitting on our haunches and twiddling our thumbs. No, "silence is golden" and so have been the opportunities to work on the paper, meet with people, develop the website, and do other small paper-related projects. I have not written because other priorities have been higher.

In the last two weeks, we've accomplished - or started - the following:

• Continued to get print pricing
• Finalized the official logo
• Registered our phone number (419.825.NEWS (6397))
• Signed up for Twitter (we were already on Facebook)
• Purchased a badge laminator and 100 pouches
• Launched our site, fully integrated with Twitter and Facebook
• Met with Dan Rogers of the Cherry Street Mission and secured permission for vendor recruitment, orientation and possible distribution at their various facilities
• Met with ABLE and LAWO to look into the city's laws and how they might effect the operation of TS
• Reached over 130 fans on our Facebook page
• Started developing our advertising rates and guidelines with the help of Breanna Filas of Metro Media Group
• Had a teleconference with Andy Freeze, director of NASNA
• Created a fairly comprehensive to-do list - a feat in and of itself!

Of course, there are some wonderful people helping me out with all of this, and I am truly grateful for their help.

More help is always appreciated as well! The to-do list will be posted shortly... (hint, hint).

In other news, since the site (and its blog) is up, I will be double-posting these updates from now on.

As this list proves...

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE.

Recap

Shame on me. I never went over Day 2 of the conference, and I've already had the first organizational meeting without putting more information on here.

Slept in a little on Day 2, since I figured I didn't need to be at the NASNA member meeting (can't really be a member until you publish your first paper). Well, Andy ribbed me a little about that later in the day - seems he used Toledo Streets in his presentation of what NASNA is working on in the next year. Woops.

My first session was New Street Paper Road Map with Andy. A few other veterans sat in and gave their two cents as well. In terms of actually getting started, this was probably the most helpful workshop, and I'll share the outline of it on this blog in my next post (can't do it now because I left my notes at home).

The next session was about generating story ideas. I was torn between this one and another happening simultaneously, Vendor Territory & Turf. Great notes from the one I went to, and I'm looking forward to NASNA making good on their promise of providing notes on all sessions. There were a couple workshops on Friday I wished I could have sat in on.

The third round of workshops on Saturday were round table discussions. Based on the subjects, I had no burning desire to sit in. I thought maybe I'd play hookie and get into downtown Denver and snap a couple photos with Henry. The best laid plans... by the time I figured out how to use public transportation to get there, I really didn't have time to go, do what I wanted, and get back in time for the last (official) event that included the vendors from the Denver Voice.

The dinner is nice and simple, and I got to chat a little more with a couple people. One Denver Voice vendor told me the paper was key in getting him off the streets. I kept the evening brief, because I needed to get up at 2:15 am and get ready to leave - I shared a cab with Margo Pierce (THE volunteer) from Streetvibes so we split the cost and ensure we get through security and board our planes on time. As it turned out, there was plenty of time.

Cut to last night's meeting. Notable attendees were Breanna Filas (of Metro Media Group), Tana Schiewer (Executive Director of Food For Thought), Ken Leslie (of the organization 1Matters, which is serving as Toledo Streets fiscal agent), and Ken's wife Norma. I have all the street papers I collected at the conference spread out in the middle of the table, and I pass out a packet of information that includes a basic FAQ and a list of needs. We brainstorm, I answer questions and note the ones to which I don't have answers, and we watch the vendor orientation video generously supplied by Street Roots. Bre and Tana leave and I finalize a couple things with the Leslies. We walk out together, and I feel solidarity.

I will be posting notes and lists of things to do, so stay tuned.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE.

NASNA Conference - Day 1

I am a sponge. While I will drip away some of the information I'm saturated with over the next few days, most of what I have learned will be carefully wrung out of me onto this blog, into conversations with friends and connections, and back into the foreground of my memory as I continue to develop this paper.

Oh, this paper. There is so much to do. Thank God for the road map session tomorrow morning with Andy.

That's tomorrow. Today, the three sessions I attended covered Essential Strategies for Seeking Grant Dollars, Why Engaging Volunteers is Good Business Strategy and How to Do It, and Vendor Recruitment and Retention. The first one was OK - I picked up a few things - but the second two were a wealth of info - plenty of notes on the second, and a video from the third.

The more I soak up, however, the more inadequate I feel to lead the charge for this paper. I know I can "do" the paper - it's this foundational stuff, this strategic planning, budgeting, donation-seeking, people-managing, networking stuff, that has me gasping. Vision and mission? No problem - I've loads of ideas and goals. Producing the paper? No problem. It's all the stuff in between. My G-d, what have I gotten myself into?

But, my G-d, I have never felt so useful before.

Defining Homelessness

Last night's Tent City meeting was a little crazy. We had some new folks that, understandably, had quite a few questions about TC. This had us bouncing back and forth between progress reports and educating new folks.

One of the newbies had questions about homelessness itself: What is it?

This may seem like a "dumb" question on the surface, but those who work (and hang out) with the homeless - or, as some of us prefer to called them, the unhoused - know there are a lot of stories out there, a lot of reasons why people end up on the streets, in shelters, in transitional houses, on friends' couches...

Which brings us back to the question: What is homelessness?

Amy Newman-Mentel of the Red Cross quoted the VA's simplified definition: When you're sleeping in place that's not yours.

Gee, by that definition, I have been homeless.

On February 6th, 2006, my aunt and I lost our home to a fire. We spent five months living in my dad's guest room. Were we fortunate to have a place to go? Yes! Did our family and friends support us and help us get back on our feet? Hell yes! Yes, we were the fortunate ones. I wonder, though, if the fire had been delayed three years to happen this last February, would circumstances have allowed us to be as fortunate?

I believe our country is at a pivotal moment in history. Social justice is rising to the forefront - even the Church is slowly waking up to the true calling of Christ: Love. The economic crisis is allowing more people than ever in at least two generations to see the line between homed and unhomed become thinner and thinner, making "them" quite a lot like "us".

As Jim Bailey from the Cherry Street Mission said in regards to serving at Tent City, "You realize the only demographic [for the homeless] is they're people."

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE.

Street Papers in the News

I had a good meeting with Tom Crothers yesterday afternoon. It was exciting to see what some folks are trying to do downtown to make Toledo a more vibrant city. I also appreciated Tom's directness regarding his organization's (and the city's) approach toward panhandling. Thankfully, street paper vendors aren't panhandlers. However, Toledo does have some laws on the books that need "our" greater understanding. But, as Tom said, laws can be changed...

I need to speak with Andy Freeze again and update him on what I've learned, ask some more questions, and see if NASNA can help me strategize regarding the laws. In the brief time I've been talking to him, Andy and NASNA have been a great resource.

I attended a "strongly encouraged" informational meeting this morning with the Center for Nonprofit Rescources regarding their capacity grants. I must admit some intimidation, both with the grant process and with the short time-frame, on my part as I have not done an RFP before and I'm in the somewhat unique situation of just starting out.

To wrap up this post of random updates, here are some links to great recent articles regarding street papers and vendors.

An overview of street papers by a University of Florida Student.

This story in the Chicago Tribune made me cry.

And another great story about how vending a street paper is changing a couple's life (interesting to note Nashville also has anti-panhandling laws).

Remember...

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE.

Hurdles & Heats

Hurdles: A running event that involves a runner clearing a number of barriers.

Heats: A series of qualifying races which decide who will race in the final of an event.

Laying the groundwork for Toledo Streets is starting to move along and, like any project, is already encountering some barriers. Namely, will the laws (and those who enforce them) of Toledo prohibit our city's marginalized to make an honest buck. If so, Toledo would be the first city in Ohio (Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati each have their own street papers) and, as I understand it, in our nation to block the freedom of speech of its most impoverished citizens. That would be a shame.

However, the start-up process is as yet in its early stages and there's no reason to assume that leadership in Toledo would be, well, without reason when the time comes to put things into motion. As I stated in a recent email to someone who may be able to help me study the feasability of Toledo Streets, it's one thing if Toledo won't support (i.e., prohibitive laws) a street paper; it's another entirely if it can't (i.e., lack of foot traffic).

In other news - and positive news to boot - I have purchased my plane ticket to Denver (and back, unfortunately) for the NASNA conference, July 30 - August 2. Seeing as I have absolutely no funding for Toledo Streets (another hurdle), NASNA is generously footing the bill for the conference on my behalf. Andy Freeze, NASNA's Executive Director, has already been a great help, and he has informed me of the creation of a special workshop for street paper start-ups (and very new existing papers). There's a couple in Charlotte, NC, working on a paper to launch about the same time I'd like to launch Toledo Streets: October. I should be getting more info on the conference soon. Needless to say, I'm pretty excited.

Tomorrow I have a lunch meeting with Tom Crothers, the Executive Director of Downtown Toledo Improvement District. I'm hoping Tom will be able to give me some insight on the day-to-day downtown environment, maybe even help me find answers to the feasibility study questions. Keep your fingers crossed, folks. The heat is on...

Tonight, I plan on making a Leadership Class led by Dan Rogers, the CEO of Cherry Street Mission Ministries. I'll never tell him this, but Dan is brilliant. I've met few people with such a unique perspective, and I always enjoy the chance to learn from him.

Until I have more news...

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE.

Must-Read Post from Street Roots

In my Facebook feed appears this link from NASNA to a blog post from Portland, OR's Street Roots Executive Director, Israel Bayer. If you've wondered about the purpose, even the ethics, of street papers, you can't miss it.

Just yesterday, I was coming out of Mr. Hero on Manhattan with dinner for my dad and I which I was then going to drive over 20 minutes to deliver and enjoy with him. As I got situated in my car to leave, I was approached by a man in t-shirt and shorts who showed me a dollar and a Black & White Cab Co. gift card, saying he needs help getting home. He got stuck at the Greyhound station (which is about 4 miles away via Cherry Street, if he walked) and needed just a few more dollars to get him on his way.

In my limited (but less limited than it used to be) experience with folks asking for money on the streets, this is usually a line. Whatever the money is for, getting a ride is often not the real "need". So why did I still hand him some money? Because it's not for me to judge whether or not he's lying, and even if he is, whether or not his hidden reason is good enough for my help. And, for once, I happened to have some cash on me.

I believe in taking opportunities to help people. I even believe in creating opportunities (hence, Toledo Streets). I believe in executing judgement in safety (which is why I locked my car door as he approached and rolled my window down only part-way) and in deciding if I can afford to let some cash slip through my fingers and to whom I give it. I also believe in accountability and in allowing other people to make their own choices. It's a hard line to walk, but it's worth walking.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE.

Gotta Love Facebook

The interwebnet gods are good. Thanks to facebook (and my friends), I have been able to connect very quickly to a lot of people who can help see Toledo Streets become a reality.

Case in point: I became a facebook fan of INSP (International Network of Street Papers), which allowed me to post a little message on their wall asking for anyone who might be able to help as I start a street paper to befriend me. Next day I have a message from Andy Freeze, the Executive Director of NASNA (North American Street Newspaper Association), who I'd been meaning to call anyway.

Meanwhile, my great friend, Ken Leslie (more on him another time), is talking to one of his friends about the street paper. This friend of his is the Executive Director of the Downtown Toledo Improvement District and, as I understand it, one of the head guys for the Greater Downtown Business Partnership, which involves the Downtown Toledo Parking Authority, CitiFest and the Toledo Design Center. Long story short, this gentleman may be able to help "grease the wheels" for me downtown.

Now I am compiling a list of questions for Andy, as I expect to give him a call Monday. I'm sure it will be the first of several calls, but I'd like to ask as many questions as possible, as I have people asking me questions I can't answer yet. And these people are the folks who can really help.

The snowball is starting to roll...

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE.

Safety Vests

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Possible uniform? Would like to scrren print these. This site has the cheapest price so far.

More Coverage on Street Papers

INSP (the International Network of Street Papers) linked to a great article regarding street papers and the power of writing for the unhoused by the unhoused. My favorite quote:

For people who are living on the streets or in temporary housing, the bonds of community are difficult to build and sustain. But as writers, they join a community of people just like them who are learning to build their capacity to express their concerns, fears and hopes.

You can read the entire article here: http://tinyurl.com/nnrp7y

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE.

New Adventure

I remember always being fascinated by tunnels, secret passageways, and rabbit trails in the woods. I want to know what's around the bend. Less because I think something fabulous is at the end but more because the adventure of exploring something new is alluring. The thrill is in the moment - the journey itself - and not in the anticipation of the outcome.

But in this adventure there is both the journey and its aim. Starting a street paper will be a completely new adventure for me, and there is also the delight of imagining how it might make a positive change in Toledo.

There is much to be done: feasibility study, funding, networking with the city, networking with local agencies, legal legwork, selling ads, selling subscriptions, developing relationships with vendors, finding a base of operations, creating a website, and much more. I have doubts, both regarding my own abilities and the viability of the paper itself in the specific locale of Toledo; however, the idea of this is too important to not pursue. The potential aid it can bring to however many people is worth it.

The purpose of this particular blog is for both my reference and to help anyone else out there who might have the hope of starting a street paper in their own city. Here I will chronicle the adventure as much as possible.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SMALL CHANGE.

For more about street papers, please visit http://www.nasna.org/stpaper.html.