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Portland Newspaper Helps People Escape Poverty

Street Roots lets those in need make money by selling its publication.
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Print isn't dead at this nonprofit; it's a way to get out of poverty.

Street Roots — a weekly in Portland, Oregon — lets those in need make money by selling its newspaper.

"As a vendor, what we do is buy our own papers, and we sell them," said Street Roots vendor Marlon Crump. "We buy them for 25 cents a copy, and we sell them for a dollar."

Ever year, over 500 vendors sell the paper. Many also got health care coverage, and some received housing.

"When we deliver a newspaper, we're delivering news, we're delivering real information that people can use," said a woman with Street Roots. "In my mind, we're doing what journalism should be doing."