Former investment accountant Michael now calls himself an activist, a musician, an actor, a son, a brother, a friend – and a Homeward Street Journal vendor.

Nashville weekly paper The Contributor launched in 2007 and has since trained more than 2,800 people to be vendors. They’ve just hit six million sales.

A free home care course is helping three Big Issue South Africa vendors make their dreams become a reality.

Hundreds gathered in Washington D.C.’s Franklin Square Park for a community event organised by former Street Sense vendor Don Gardner.

Hitting its fifth anniversary, the Big Knitathon is back this month inviting new and experienced knitters to help raise funds for Big Issue vendors.

Becoming homeless came as a shock to Valerie Williams. But thanks to the support of Real Change, she now has her own place and has recently worked as a paid intern with the street paper, helping her fellow vendors.

Street Roots’ inspiring Vendor Program Director, Cole Merkel, has been awarded the 2016 Skidmore Prize for his tireless work to support the Portland paper’s 150 vendors.

Dean Strang and Jerry Buting became stars for their unrelenting pursuit of justice in the Netflix series Making a Murderer. They tell us why criminal justice starts with social justice.

With under a week to go until American voters cast their vote for a new president, neither candidates have touched on the growing poverty and homelessness issues facing more than 500,000 U.S. citizens.

Hamburg street paper Hinz&Kunzt has hit out against a top local government official who wants to clear homeless people out of the city’s Central Station.

“Strassenkreuzer is a great magazine and I think it’s terrific that everyone can contribute in their own ways to the success of a social magazine,” says vendor and sales director Karlheinz.

Between Halloween and Trump, there’s a frighteneing vibe on this month’s international street paper covers. Thank god for Street Cat Bob…

Faktum are battling a pattern of prejudice against non-native vendors with an ingenious online video campaign, which has provoked a positive discussion.

A joint campaign by UK homelessness charities and supporters – including Ian McKellen – is encouraging constituents to put pressure on their MP ahead of the second parliamentary reading of the Homelessness Reduction Bill on Friday.

Aleksas’ life story is spread across Europe. Born in Lithuania, now living in Germany and with a son and daughter in England, the 58-year-old is finding a way to face his challenges.

Former Street Sense vendor Don Gardner’s Real Love Ministry aims to provide entertainment and spiritual fulfilment as well as food and clothing. They brought hundreds together in Washington D.C.

Hawaii’s per capita homeless rate is the highest of all American states. In the Puuhonua O Waianae camp residents have supported each other to help 200 people transition from canvas tents to permanent housing.

The Big Issue celebrates 25 years on the UK’s streets this week, with a exhibition in London, a star-studded film – and, of course, a bumper edition of the magazine. Watch messages from Julie Walters, Michael Palin, Mark Hamill, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Chvrches singer Lauren Mayberry and more.

“Homelessness is a crime. It’s almost a war crime,” says guitarist Tom Morello, formerly of Rage Against the Machine and now rocking again with supergroup Prophets of Rage. They spoke to street paper vendor Ronald Dudley (a.k.a. rapper Pookanu) before the first show of their Make America Rage Again tour.

Megaphone vendor Mark Irvine says at 65 his new life goal is ‘learning how to live’, after a troubled past involving problems with drugs and alcohol, and time in prison.

Hus Forbi reports from the 11th European Research Conference on Homelessness in Copenhagen on the relative merits of Housing First and the traditional hostel system for getting people out of homelessness.

INSP marked World Homeless Day alongside Crisis with an event that explored ways to boost employment for people who are vulnerably housed or without a home.

Curbside Chronicle vendor Bennie felt that life was passing him by due to his problems with drugs. “Five months ago, I didn’t have no hope, but now I have hope” he says.

Edward Smalls sells Speak Up magazine every weekday in uptown Charlotte. This put him in the middle of the heated protests that exploded in the aftermath of the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott.

From a TARDIS’ on Edinburgh’s famous Leith Walk to award-winning sustainable business, Edinburgh Tool Library is one of Scotland’s social enterprise stories of the year

Norwegian INSP members =Oslo, Megafon, Sorgenfri, Asfalt and KLAR came together to discuss how they will adapt to continue helping vulnerable people.

“Look,” says Brooke, “I’m only five years old. There’s nothing I can do about it… You have the pot of money. Spend some and help people.”

“My wife is pleased that I’m working for HBA because she knows I’m okay and bringing money in,” says Argentinian street paper vendor Juan Pablo. He’s sending good wishes to vendors worldwide.