Some topics that are published in these homeless newspapers are worthy of being kept in libraries, but the press often neglects them. Issues that are dealt with in these newspaper focus on poverty. Other studies have suggested that as many as 7-12 million people have been homeless at some time. Homelessness is growing in the big cites and has been over the past ten years. The mass media usually covers homelessness as something that affects other people not regular people.
Street newspapers don t do that, they cover the real issues and make homelessness a reality.
The viewpoints in the newspapers are extremely different than that of the corporate press. An example of this is, that most street newspapers list free-meal sites, legal services, and shelters. An example is in Chicago s Streetwise each issue includes a listing of services for homeless people as well as nonprofits seeking material donations. This type of interaction is shown in many of the other street papers. This newspaper is social change journalism.