What I Learned While Panhandling Street Papers For The Homeless

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Where some may let the weight of life experiences get them down, others rise to the occasion, managing to keep a positive attitude through the worst of adversity. New York native and former Denver resident Brian Dibley falls into the latter category. For about eight years, Dibley worked as a street vendor selling newspapers on behalf of the Denver VOICE, which provides transient, impoverished and homeless people the opportunity to make an income outside of panhandling by selling newspapers. All of the paper's vendors have benefited from programs provided by the Denver VOICE organization, and are able to keep the $1.50 profit they earn from the papers they sell.

It was through this job that he ended up meeting his future wife, who recently passed away. Following her death, Dibley's financial situation took an even sharper downturn, and he was homeless for a brief period of time. Even when he was homeless, he managed to keep a positive attitude, which he used to connect with passers-by on the street. After getting back on his feet, he continued selling Denver VOICE newspapers on Denver's 16th Street Mall until this past November, when he moved back to the Niagara Falls area of New York to be closer to family.

A Positive Attitude Goes The Longest Way

Some people who find themselves down on their luck and relying on others for help would feel sorry for themselves, but Dibley is an upbeat and happy person. He credits his positive personality with his becoming successful selling newspapers, which ultimately helped him to turn his situation around.

"I learned that people are nicer to you when you are nice to them. I had people who would grumble under their breath, or who would be unpleasant, but I would always tell those people to 'have a nice day,'" he explained.

Connection Is A Two-Way Street

One takeaway from Dibley's experiences is that kindness is a two-way street, and it is the key to building human connections. Before he left for New York, some of his regular customers helped to start Dibley's holiday season off on the right foot. One group of three women who frequently talked with him and bought his newspapers gifted him with a backpack full of cold weather gear. Another customer who knew he was moving gave him a Christmas card with a substantial amount of travel money to help with his journey back to New York.

Denver residents have become familiar with these street vendors in the years since the paper was founded in 1996 and re-launched in 2007 after a one-year hiatus. However, many people in the city are aware of that vendors are experiencing poverty or homelessness, and some view the vendors as they would other panhandlers — keeping their distance and acting weary.

To overcome this, Dibley used his friendly demeanor and his experiences to connect with people, and he eventually built up a loyal customer base.

"I learned a lot about how to read people's facial expressions. By watching people, you figure out who is willing to interact and who isn't. I frequently used expressions like 'happy Monday' to figure out whether or not someone was going to be ready to interact. Some people would use it to gripe about work, while others would be happy to get back to work to take a break from bickering kids."

People who need to rely on others for "handouts" or as a means of support can often find it difficult to approach others. They are usually met with indifference, and occasionally with open hostility. Speaking with Dibley, it is easy to see that he is very personable, but he does not consider himself to be an outgoing person.

"I'm not outgoing, but it's easier when you believe in what you're selling," he said. "I stayed in the same place, and there were people who saw me out there trying every day. Eventually, some of them would stop, and we would talk."

This personal connection allowed Dibley to build his regulars. He noted that Denver has a lot of panhandlers, especially on the 16th Street Mall. For this reason, many people tend to look down or ignore people they think may be looking for a handout. However, many people who are or previously were homeless contribute to the Denver VOICE, so the paper offers a resource by which those who have never experienced poverty can learn about what the experience is actually like. This is the reason Dibley and his fellow vendors work hard to encourage passers by to read it.

For those who may be walking down the street avoiding panhandlers and other street vendors, it is important to realize that many of these people are just humans who happen to be in a bad place in life. These people are trying to make their way in life, and they deserve to be treated like people. Taking the first step with a smile and a good attitude may go a long way toward making someone's day a little better.

This article was written by Alaina Brandenburger via Examiner.com for CBS Local Media.