Homeless Fonts, A Type Foundry For Good


 “The same thing that helped them beg in the street, now helps them to leave it behind.”

The Arrels Foundation, a Barcelona-based nonprofit dedicated to helping the homeless, created a very unique project to help raise funds and let the homeless take a step in helping themselves.


HomelessFonts is a one-of-a-kind type foundry that takes the handwriting of homeless individuals and translates them into useable typefaces. All profits from purchasing these fonts go back into the Arrels Foundation.

The handwriting samples — usually seen on cardboard signs that many people try to avoid — become impressive and useful tools for advertisers, designers and marketers to attract those very same people.


All fonts can be found at homelessfonts.org, and on each type specimen page is a video and biography of the individual whose handwriting was used. These emotional and true stories add an amazing sense of depth and honesty to the typefaces.

Browse the fonts that have been created so far and listen to the incredible stories on their website. Typographers are still needed to bring some handwriting to life, if you’re interested in getting involved. Or purchase a license and put these wonderful scripts to good use!