StreetWise, Publication Sold By Homeless, May Have To Fold

The future of StreetWise, a weekly sold on the streets of Chicago by the homeless, is in question.

Officials of the nonprofit StreetWise Inc., said Tuesday the publication could close its doors in two week unless it receives about $75,000 in donations in coming weeks

Executive Director Bruce Crane said advertising in the publication has increased since it converted from a newspaper to a glossy magazine in November. However, he is blaming a decline in the economy for a drop in charitable support.

According to Crane, grants accounts for about half of the organization's $500,000-a-year budget.

StreetWise first hit the streets in August 1992, and is sold by people who were down on their luck. With its conversion from a newspaper to a magazine format, StreetWise's price doubled to $2.

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Information from: Chicago Sun-Times, http://www.suntimes.com/index