字的力量會有多大？
你一定看過這些求助文字，街頭流浪漢在紙板上寫下他們的求助訊息，你會幫他嗎？每天行乞的流浪漢，每天在電腦前工作的 designer、writer、translator，因為流浪漢字體而有了交集。這樣的小事情，就具有著能夠改變流浪漢生活的力量。
“I have a favorite word that I have used all my life. And that’s the word Gracias (Thanks) right?
I just want to give thank for how they’ve reacted with me. And hope that whoever uses my writing always does so in a positive direction. What I know is that I’ve always supported this project.”
我的人生中有ㄧ個喜歡的用字，那就是 Gracias （謝謝）。我想要感謝那些幫助我的人，也希望我的字能被人正向地使用。我會ㄧ直支持這項計劃的。- Guillermo
- Story
來自阿根廷的 Guillermo 曾到 20 多個國家旅行，但他的好運終結在巴塞隆納的街頭，成為流浪漢，失去私人生活的他，心也跟著被挖空，只剩孤獨伴隨著。直到 Homelessfonts.org 計劃的出現，才讓他脫離艱困的街頭生活，貢獻自己的能力，同時提升自尊。
Homelessfonts.org 是由 Arrels 基金會和廣告代理商 The Cyranos McCann 共同發起，將毫不起眼的流浪漢手寫字，轉換成任何人都可用的藝術，不同於ㄧ般的電腦字體，這些獨一無二的字背後，都有ㄧ段故事，讓你可以看到它們的來歷。目前已經有 10 位流浪漢加入，也有許多品牌廠商購買使用，創造出互惠的正向循環。
- 有故事的獨創字體
In different workshops, participants did various typographic exercises which were then scanned and converted into usable fonts through the cooperation of design experts and professionals. These fonts are available on the Homelessfonts.org site, where users can also find out about their creators’ stories and see the uses made of them. So far about ten homeless people have taken part in the scheme.
10 位無家可歸者加入了 Homelessfonts.org 計劃，述說自己來歷的同時，也各自著墨字體。你可以從他們身上看到共通點：感嘆街頭生存不易，卻也受到許多人的幫助，看到人性向善的一面。
- 用行動支持
“All the brands and designers who choose to use typefaces from Homelessfonts.org will have a quality seal identifying the project and so demonstrating their social commitment,” states Marta Grasa, account manager at the agency The Cyranos McCann. In this respect, the Homelessfonts.org project has also been supported by the Oxígeno production company, which has made a documentary about the scheme, and by designers and experts who have given up their time and skills on a voluntary basis.
許多品牌和設計師向 Homelessfonts.org 購買流浪漢的字體，影片製作公司 Oxigengo 為此計畫拍攝紀錄片，甚至還有很多設計師和專家，義務貢獻他們的技術，不僅表達對 Homelessfonts.org 的支持，也回饋社會。
“I never thought my typeface could be worth anything,” says Loraine, one of the participants in the scheme. “Thanks to this project, I’ve discovered that my writing is nice enough for a brand like Valonga to take an interest in it and use it on their products.”
Homelessfonts.org 參與者 Loraine 說:「從沒想過我的字有什麼價值。因為這項計劃，才發現原來我的字體能讓 Valonga 這樣的品牌感興趣，成為他們產品的一部份。」
“The same thing that helped them beg in the street, could now help them to leave it behind.”
字能幫他們在街上要錢，也能幫他們脫身。
- Loraine
來自倫敦的 Loraine，原本擁有正常的生活，不需要擔心什麼，只要付每個月底的房租、想辦法將冰箱裝滿食物就好了。但 2009 年的巴塞隆納之旅，徹底改變了她的人生，護照被偷去做不法勾當，讓她向英國大使館求助無門，只好開始變賣自己的東西、學西班牙文，以巴塞隆納的街道為家。
Loraine was born in London. She was an ordinary, hardworking family person, with nothing to worry about beyond paying the rent at the end of the month or keeping the fridge full. Until in 2009 she came to Barcelona on holiday. Soon after she arrived her passport was stolen from her and she had a series of problems with the British embassy. Somebody had made illegal use of her passport. So Loraine found herself in a strange place, unable to get home. She didn’t know anyone there and her circumstances meant she couldn’t ask for help from England, either. She had to sell all her possessions and, in time, learn to speak Spanish. “Living in the street is a wonderful adventure,” she says. In the street she discovered a new city, a new country and a new culture. “There are lots of people who prefer to sleep under the stars.” She also made lots of friends who helped her in a completely unfamiliar world.
Loraine 很開心她的字體被酒商 VALONGA 用來設計瓶身，希望大家看到時，能覺得她的字很可愛；也希望大家有機會能使用 Homelessfonts.org 的字 體，讓正向循環延續下去。
- Luis
35 歲前，Luis 的生活再平凡不過，害羞不擅社交的他在 Alicante 長大、成家，那裡就是他的一輩子。一切都在離婚後改變，他來到巴塞隆納，希望找到新生活，從事了各式各樣的工作，卻一直沒有安定下來，最後流露街頭，只好學習找地方睡覺、找東西吃，想辦法讓自己不被日趨惡劣的街頭生活影響。
Luis Serra was born in Alicante. There he grew up and even started a family. His life was there. But at the age of 35 he split up with his wife and decided to go to Barcelona in search of a new life. And it wasn’t easy for him. He had to turn his hand to all kinds of jobs and didn’t manage to find the stability he needed. Luis is a shy, retiring person who takes great pleasure in the little things in life such as walking in the mountains or celebrating the victories of his football team, Barça. After four years living in Barcelona, Luis found himself in a position he’d never imagined. “The street’s much worse now, there’s more trouble, there’s more tension,” says Luis. In the street he had to learn, as he always had, to move fast, to find a place to sleep and something to eat. Luis is one of those people who don’t let circumstances mould him, but adapts to them and always tries to do his best.
VALONGA 也看上 Luis 的字，不同於 Loraine 字體的編排，Luis 的字體為瓶身的設計，呈現出較高雅的感覺。
- Francisco
西班牙出生、在巴西長大的 Francisco，原本是熱愛旅遊的圖表設計師，對探索新事物的熱忱，讓他喜歡到處跑，因此花了好幾年的時間搭便車遊南美洲；晚年的 Francisco 再度回到西班牙尋根，卻沒想到會淪落到以街頭為家，體悟到生活很艱難，但還是有很多願意給予幫助的好人。
The world is a very big place, the world is for travelling. And that’s what Francisco did, travel. Though born in Spain, he was raised in Brazil, where he worked as a graphic designer. He spent years hitchhiking round South America. His eagerness to see and learn new things prevents him from settling in one place. He returned to Spain an old man, to find his roots. Francisco never dreamed he’d end up in the street: “The experience of the street has taken away my vanity,” or that he would grow as a person there. “The only thing I’ve learnt in life is that in life you have to learn, because if you spend your life without learning you haven’t lived.” In Barcelona, the street changed his life and taught him just how tough it could be. Tough, but full of good people. He says that’s the best thing about the street.
每種字體反映一段人生，你有沒有看見，筆跡上演的街頭故事，想衝出螢幕，衝破現況的一筆一畫？
每套字體的販售價格為個人使用 19 歐元，企業使用 290 歐元，所有收益捐給 Arrels 基金會，幫助 1400 名 Arrels 基金會支持的街頭流浪者重新開始生活。雖然 Homelessfonts.org 很年輕，但已經獲得很多人如設計師、媒體、非營利組織的支持，如澳洲版的 The Big Issue 就使用 Luis 的字來做封面設計；此計劃持續仍進行中，Homelessfonts.org 還會陸續增加流浪漢字體參與者，讓你可以看到更多的字體與他們的故事 =>http://www.homelessfonts.org
照片及英文內容由 HOMELESSFONTS.ORG 授權
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