Two years ago, a group of Rhodes students launched The Bridge, Memphis’ first street newspaper, to address the hardships of the 2,000 Memphians living on the streets. Individuals experiencing homelessness were paid to share their stories and artwork for publication and also were trained as vendors to sell the paper while keeping the profits. The first edition of The Bridge launched March 21, 2013.
“Since establishing the paper, we have put $57,000 directly into the hands of the homeless and have given sustainable income to over 250 people with experiences of homelessness, with our top vendors making $380-$540 per month,” says Caroline Ponseti, a Rhodes senior and one of the newspaper’s founders.
On Wednesday, March 25, The Bridge will have a two-year anniversary celebration at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral on 700 Poplar Avenue. Free and open to the public, the event is 5 p.m.-6 p.m. and includes light refreshments.
The new executive director, Eilidh Jenness, will make a few remarks and introduce the organization’s new executive board at the event. In addition, one ofThe Bridge’s vendors will speak briefly about his experiences with the paper. There will be opportunities for questions from attendees and the press.
For more information, contact Alisha Patel at patah-17@rhodes.edu.