FEATURED VENDOR DON’T LET THE LOOKS FOOL YOU BY ALBERT BLAND People have this misperception that if a person looks clean, wears clean clothes, and gives off an air of confidence, the person could not possibly be homeless. This is something Denver VOICE Vendor Albert Bland has discovered since he first became a vendor 20+ years ago. Consistently among the top VOICE vendors every month, Bland recently shared his thoughts about how people react to him when they see him vending because he takes pride in looking sharp, clean, and put together. For this vendor profile, Bland explains why people should not be fooled into thinking that just because someone looks good they aren’t in need. “PEOPLE THINK IF YOU LOOK CLEAN, you don’t probably don’t need any help. The thing is, just because you are low-income or may be homeless, it doesn’t mean you have to look, act, or smell like you’re homeless. Any person that has a dignity about themselves likes to keep themselves up and be presentable. That’s not to say that I don’t have sympathy for those who can’t maintain [themselves] It’s just that for those who are CREDIT: JESSE BORRELL aware of themselves, had a good upbringing, and know right from wrong, they shouldn’t have to feel like they have to belittle themselves to look the part or be able to ask for help. I try not to be so judgmental. Things happen, so when you look at a person and see something like a hole in their clothes or stain on their shirt, or even if they’re dressed ‘too clean,’ they shouldn’t have to be uncomfortable. I used to worry about what people thought of me when I first started vending, wondering if I was dressed too nice. But it’s not even about that. It’s about being who you are and being sincere. People want to donate regardless of how you look. It’s all in how you present yourself. The other day, I saw a guy in my neighborhood. I’ve seen him around, but when I ran into him at the gas station, he asked me for money. I gave him a few bucks because he happened to catch me at the right time. If I have the money and can afford to give it to someone, I’ll help out regardless of what the person looks like. It’s about being a humanitarian. It makes a difference that he had the decency to ask me for money, was sincere, and got right to the point without wasting my time. I don’t need a sob story or to hear someone play the blame game. It’s to a point now where I don’t care what people think. I’m very aware of myself and my capabilities. People compliment me regularly on how I’m dressed and present myself. Some have asked what I’m doing vending the VOICE and tell me I should be selling cars, but that’s not what I want to do. Not only that, I’m just very comfortable vending the VOICE. I’ve been doing the VOICE for years now, and I know what people like to hear and are interested in what I have to say. I’m not just out there vending the VOICE, I’m promoting myself. You just never know. You may come across that one person who may ask, ‘How would you feel about doing this job for me...?’ If someone is not familiar with the VOICE or our vendors and happens to walk past me, I know I have only a few seconds to grab their attention and get my point across quickly. I tell them why I’m here, and what the paper is about. I explain that the paper provides a service to the public. It creates lots of jobs, and the content is written by actual reporters. Vendors also contribute and get paid for their work. The vendor program accepts anyone. There is meaningful work for volunteers, and paid work for the journalists and photographers. Also, the program gives people an opportunity without discriminating against anyone.” ■ HOW TO HELP The money we take in from vendors helps us cover a portion of our printing costs, but we depend largely on donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations to help us pay our rent and keep the lights on. 1 4 GET THE WORD OUT We rely on grassroots marketing to get the word out about what we do. Talk to people about our organization and share us with your network. Support us on DONATE Donations to the Denver VOICE are tax-deductible. Go to denvervoice.org to give a one-time or recurring donation. You can also mail a check to: Denver VOICE | P.O. Box 193 | Denver, CO 80201 3 VOLUNTEER We need volunteers to help with everything from newspaper distribution to event planning and management. Contact program@denvervoice.org for volunteering information. 5 SUBSCRIBE If you are unable to regularly purchase a newspaper from our vendors, please consider a subscription. We ask subscribers to support our program with a 12-month pledge to give $10 a month, or a one-time donation of $120. Subscriptions help us cover our costs AND provide an amazing opportunity to those who need it most. Go to denvervoice.org/subscriptions for more information. @denverVOICE 2 ADVERTISE Our readership is loyal, well-educated, and socially concerned. Readers view purchasing the paper as a way to immediately help a person who is poor or homeless while supporting long-term solutions to end poverty. If you are interested in placing an ad or sponsoring a section of the paper, please contact us about rates at ads@denvervoice.org. October 2022 DENVER VOICE 3
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