Megaphone Magazine Winter Fundraiser

Megaphone Magazine, based in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, amplifies marginalized voices and create meaningful work for those experiencing poverty. This winter, you can help them raise funds to continue to invest in the community. They provide an outlet for local journalism and photography from their peer newsroom, along with art and poetry, all powered by their vendors.

I have been honoured to be part of their publishing family for the last four years with my monthly Heartbeats column, shining the spotlight on local nonprofits along with a few celebrity covers (like Nardwuar). The heartbeat of Megaphone is its peer newsroom and vendor program.

Megaphone’s Vendor Program addresses the lack of accessible income earning opportunities for people with barriers to traditional employment. They do this by producing literary and journalistic publications and training 150+ people experiencing poverty in Vancouver to sell those products for an income.

The publications, the means by which they are created and sold, foster community engagement, awareness, and support for people experiencing poverty and social isolation.

Every day, Megaphone vendors contribute to their organization, not just by selling products, but by sharing their stories, shaping programs and publications, guiding governance, and strengthening the community that makes Megaphone what it is. 

Despite the harsh winter weather, they work tirelessly on the streets distributing Megaphone magazine and the Hope in Shadows calendar. Every purchase they make is a risk, but also an investment in their future and in the vitality of their organization. 

This winter, Megaphone is asking the wider community to invest back in them. 

For their winter campaign, Megaphone has a goal of raising $50,000 to support the sustainability of their vendor program during challenging economic times. Your support will ensure the sustainability of this essential program and increase opportunities for vendors to connect, build and inspire.

So far this year:

• Vendors gained more leadership power 

In June, the vendor community elected two peers, James Witwicki and Nicolas Crier, to sit on the board of directors and guide governance through lived experience, continuing long-established efforts to build peer leadership at every level of the organization. As board members, they are helping ensure Megaphone remains true to its mission and strengthens the organization’s resilience for the long term. 

• Vendors earned more income 

In January, the price of Megaphone magazine increased to $1.50 for vendors and $5 for customers, a long-overdue, vendor-led adjustment that acknowledges rising production costs and the cost of living for vendors. Vendors’ commitment to sustaining their organization, along with the strong relationships they have built with customers, helped make this transition reflect the true value of their work. 

• Vendors stayed safer through harsh weather 

Through seasonal wellness kits, Megaphone provided warm gear, hygiene supplies and essential items that help vendors face the challenges of cold, wet winters. 

These milestones matter. They build security, dignity and belonging and they’re only possible because of supporters like you. 

This year’s theme, Security & Sustainability, speaks directly to what vendors need most right now. Upon the release of the Hope in Shadows calendar in particular, Megaphone vendors work diligently through the fall and winter seasons to get the annual calendar into your hands in time for the holidays. 

Your gift helps Megaphone provide: 

• Expanded vendor supports, centred in the low-barrier, community-facing vendor hub 
• Seasonal safety and wellness resources to protect and care for vendors year-round 
• Opportunities for participants to earn a self-determined income 
• Peer-led leadership structures that put vendors first and strengthen community decision-making 

Help Megaphone raise $50,000 this winter. Together, we can make sure every vendor has the security they need to get through the winter and the sustainability they deserve to thrive all year long.