Real Change provides low-barrier employment opportunities to anyone who wants to join our community. Vendors take on the challenge of selling a newspaper on the streets of Seattle and surrounding areas in a time when print is considered dying, if not long dead. Every time you buy a copy of Real Change’s paper, you are telling that vendor you support their efforts — and local journalism.
Once a year, we survey our vendors to learn how we’re doing, what they need and how the experience of selling Real Change is going for them. In 2024, we talked to 91 vendors, ranging from established to new and old to young. We gathered some interesting information on what it takes to sell the paper and who our vendors are.
Real Change vendors are a diverse group. Of those we surveyed, 40.7% are white, 35.2% Black and 11% Native American; according to the 2023 US Census, Seattle’s population is 63.6% white, 6.7% Black and 0.6% Native American and Alaska Native, so our survey indicates a disproportionate number of Native American and Black people are in need of low-barrier work opportunities.
The average age of a Real Change vendor is 56 years old, and 67% of our population is male. Many Real Change vendors are approaching or past the age of retirement, but we know Social Security benefits are not enough to support many of them, so they still sell the paper. Selling Real Change allows vendors to control their finances and have agency over how much financial support they have, rather than waiting for government checks.
One of the major takeaways from our survey was learning that a majority of our vendors have one or more disability. Of those we spoke to, 51.1% identified themselves as having a physical disability, while 42.2% said they had a mental disability, which could include mental health struggles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023, 22.5% of people with a disability were employed. This isn’t a direct correlation, but knowing so many of our vendors are disabled confirms that Real Change is a way anyone can make some money. We are proud to be able to meet people where they are and help them succeed. One vendor said about selling Real Change, “It’s a job I can physically do.”
Real Change is a part of the larger Seattle community. Of the vendors we surveyed, 61.5% said that being a part of our community or helping make a difference in their community is a top reason why they sell the paper. Real Change vendors want to connect to the people around them and find that selling the paper is a good way to bridge the gap they may sometimes experience.
Another data point to come out of the survey was something that made the Real Change staff feel valued: over 75% of the vendors we talked to said that Real Change is a trusted resource. Every person who comes into the Vendor Center is welcomed with a friendly word and smile. We are able to offer snacks, water and sometimes hygiene products or even backpacks. We recently added a small computer lab because our vendors value being able to connect to their friends and family or play a computer game. There is even a free library in the Vendor Center, which the Seattle Public Library helps fill with fiction, nonfiction and even children’s books.
Ron Woolms (badge #13908), who was one of Real Change’s 2023 Vendors of the Year, noted the “positive atmosphere and gracious support” he gets from the organization as a notable benefit.
Lassado Young (badge #13966) said he appreciates “all the unconditional love, care and support.”
Shark (badge #13097) said, “It’s nice having someone to talk to.”
Just like you, vendors read Real Change. Of those we surveyed, 45.5% said they read the paper regularly, and 30.7% scan the headlines or use the summaries the newsroom writes each week for the vendors. Vendors are engaged with the news and what’s going on in Seattle, because Real Change covers topics that impact them, like policy changes — especially around housing. That said, vendors are also always looking for ways the paper can improve, and they’d like to see some sports coverage or maybe a cooking column. Vendors have also asked to be featured in the paper more, which is why you’ll see profiles and other vendor content more frequently this year. We also added monthly horoscopes after vendors requested them.
“Real Change is run just fine. Good people, and it’s a damn good paper — something needed,” said John O’Donnell (badge #9389). We agree, and hope you do too.
Henry Behrens is the arts editor of Real Change. They handle the arts coverage and design the weekly print paper. Contact them at [email protected].
Read more of the Feb. 28–March 5, 2023 issue.