NYC Street Vendor
If you’re looking for an amazing project to volunteer your time with, you should check out the Street Vendor Project. Latino street vendors make up the core of street vendors across the nation. Their services bring in almost $1.3 million dollars in increased revenue. Yet, what we don’t see as we wait in line for those delicious hotdogs or tacos is that most states require the proper food licenses in order to stand or sell in certain locations. These documents are often expensive and difficult to attain if you are undocumented or if you don’t understand the administrative process. Additionally, police will pry on street vendors knowing that they do not speak the language fluently or will harass them for the smallest detail. The Street Vendor Project of New York provides legal representation to street vendors who have been ticketed along with advocacy, and grassroots organizing support to vendors across the city.
The Street Vendor Project also puts on the yearly Vendy Awards , which is both a fundraiser for SVP, a 501(c)(3), and a celebration of all street food vendors in New York City.
The mission of the Street Vendor Project of the Urban Justice Center is to advance economic and social justice among the approximately 10,000 people who sell food and merchandise on the streets and sidewalks of New York City.
The Street Vendor Project is preparing for their October 8th, volunteer outreach event in NYC and they are in need of volunteers! Please visit this site if you would like to help out for their volunteer event or if you would like to volunteer your brilliant legal mind to help represent the food vendors in proceedings.
The Street Vendor Projecthas put together a visual guide for vendor regulations. You can find a pdf copy of it below.
Vendor Power! by Making Policy Public
Making Policy Public created Vendor Power! This VP-MPP(pdf guide) decodes the rules and regulations for New York’s 10,000 street vendors so they can understand their rights, avoid fines, and earn an honest living. Did you know you can get a $1000 ticket for parking more than 18 inches from the curb? It doubles as a poster on the rich landscape and history of vending in the City. This pamphlet was produced through a collaboration between the Street Vendor Project and Candy Chang.
For more information visit: http://streetvendor.org
