Interfaith Sanctuary’s Project Well-Being distributed Issue #13 of Word on the Street across Boise on Friday. The August edition is the first paper the shelter’s staff and guests have produced in three months. It’s filled with stories on experiences of homelessness in Boise, recovery, hope, and the importance of providing safe shelter.
“It’s awesome to get this project up and running again,” said Word on the Street editor Erin Sheridan. “Seeing the smiles on the faces of those who contributed writing was the most rewarding thing. We want this paper to get better over time. It’s a community effort, and everyone contributes to the best of their ability.”
Project Well-Being Program Supervisor Nicki Vogel helped drop off papers at news boxes and businesses on Friday. “It is always a proud moment for me to see the newspaper go out in the community. I’m proud that each of the writers has this opportunity to have their voices heard,” she said.
“We can’t begin to understand others in this situation until we open our hearts and minds. This paper allows for others to begin that process, and I’m excited to see it back out on the streets and in the hands of our community.”
Jacob Heiter, a former guest and graduate of Project Well-Being, founded Word on the Street and still designs the layout each month as an Interfaith Sanctuary staff member. Hieter has moved into housing and but continues to deal with some very physical challenges. He worked hard to get the newspaper up and running over the summer. Here’s what he wanted to say about Issue #13:
“Everything started to go wrong no matter what I tried. Again, I stood at the same crossroad between another health crash and a mental health crisis. They say to focus on what you can instead of what you can’t. I was told that no one can do our layout as professionally as me, so that is what I need to focus on despite my limitations. Erin’s support allows me to do just that. I am so grateful for her work and support with our newspaper, because without her we would have never gotten this issue out.”
Heiter created and designed the layout from scratch and is already working hard on the September issue.
Each month, the Idaho Press prints Word on the Street and includes the paper in one of its editions, reaching nearly 30,000 households.
Pick up a copy at a news box in Boise:
The Record Exchange
1105 W. Idaho St.
Downtown Boise Public Library
715 S. Capitol Blvd.
Downtown Boise YMCA
1050 W. State St.
Recovery for Life
8950 Emerald St. #178
Corpus Christi House
525 S. Americana Blvd.
The District Coffee
219 N 10th St.
Neckar Coffee
117 S 10th St.
Interfaith Sanctuary
1620 W River St.