Spare Change News has been a member of the North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) since it was organized in Chicago in 1996. In 2002 we became members of the International Network of Street Papers (INSP). Our participation in these organizations has many benefits. The most practical assistance they offer is the Street News Service, an online posting of articles that have appeared in street papers around the world and are available for republication in any member paper.
At our annual conferences we discuss and amplify ways to improve our papers and strengthen our organizations. We attend workshops on every imaginable topic related to homeless newspapers. For example, one workshop might be on exploitation of the homeless or violation of homeless people's civil rights and another might cover how to start up a homeless newspaper or how to recruit and train vendors.
It is inspiring to be in touch once a year and keep touching base throughout the year with so many people dedicated to helping vendors earn money to better themselves and to educating the public about homeless people's issues.
These folks are from all walks of life with many different gifts to bring to newspapering; all of them have made helping abolish homelessness a top priority in their lives.
It is essential for the protection of homeless people's civil rights and the rigor of their surviving the elements and the stigma of being homeless that we have a national voice. What goes on in Boston will be affected by what is being practiced in other cities in the United States, Europe, South America, Africa, and the rest of the world.
We are also proud to report that representatives from Spare Change News have been elected to serve on the governing body, the Executive Committee, of both NASNA and INSP.
For further information view the NASNA and INSP web sites at www.nasna.org and www.street-papers.com.