NASHVILLE (AP) — The Contributor, a newspaper written by and sold by homeless and formerly homeless in Nashville, is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

A celebration will be held Wednesday at the Downtown Presbyterian Church at Fifth Avenue and Church Street. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean will also be attending along with staff, volunteers and supporters of the newspaper.

The newspaper released its first issue on Nov. 14, 2007, with 10,000 copies, and fewer than 600 were sold. Today the newspaper has 10 paid staff members and is sold by approximately 400 homeless and formerly homeless vendors.

The newspaper says approximately one-third of its vendors are able to earn enough money to obtain housing.