 | |
| Type | Weekly magazine |
|---|---|
| Editor | Suzanne Hanney |
| Founded | 1992 [1] |
| Headquarters | 2009 South State Street, Chicago, IL 60616 US [2] |
| Website | streetwise.org |
StreetWise is a street magazine sold by people without homes or those at-risk for homelessness in Chicago. Topics covered depend on what is happening in Chicago at the time.
StreetWise contains art, poetry, and articles by vendors; as well as stories of local and national interest, particularly progressive issues.
In 1991 a group of Chicago business people joined the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless to address the growing problem of street homelessness. In 1992, Judd Lofchie created StreetWise. [3] About 200 vendors sell approximately 20,000 magazines weekly. The vendors buy the magazine for 90 cents each [4] and sell for $2, keeping the profit. [5] In 2003, it had the largest readership of any street publication in the United States of America. [6]
Over time, the magazine has fallen victim to a slow economy. [7] Foundation support had made up nearly half of StreetWise's $500,000 budget but is down 60 percent as of 2012. Ad revenues also are in decline and street sales have dropped 20 percent. [7]
After publishers and board members announced on April 15, 2009, that declining revenues and foundation support might force a closure with 45 days, donations began pouring in. Before the end of the day, an influx of almost $41,000 helped the ailing publication halfway to its goal. [7] Within a week, over $190,000 in donations were made, far exceeding the needed $75,000 to keep afloat. [8]
During a February 2009 meeting, StreetWise's board of directors decided to fire Executive Director Michael Speer and began to discuss potential replacements. [1] Bruce Crane was promoted to turn the company around. Crane reduced operation costs and increased ad sales. The organization went from $200,000 in debt to posting a net income of $1,168 last year under Crane. [9]
Jim LoBianco, the former Commissioner for the Office of Homeless Services in Chicago, succeeded Bruce Crane as the magazine's executive director on January 1, 2011. [1]
In 2008, the format changed from the original tabloid-style newspaper to a magazine publication. [10]
Media related to StreetWise at Wikimedia Commons