Amid extreme cold temperatures and rising rates of homelessness across the United States, countless organizations work to respond to the needs of people without shelter.

Detroit-based Empowerment Plan is a nonprofit that helps people facing poverty and homelessness through a circular approach: They hire them to manufacture transformative coats that double as sleeping bags.

The organization’s EMPWR Coat is an innovative design that doubles as a sleeping bag or over-the-shoulder bag for homeless community members. Made to last for multiple seasons, the coat is made from water-resistant Cordura fabric donated from workwear company Carhartt, as well as upcycled automotive insulation from General Motors.

It provides warmth and shelter in one — as well as job opportunities for members of the community who are most impacted by homelessness.

According to the organization’s website, its full-time employees are also paired with supportive services to help them achieve financial stability and independence. 

“Our approach addresses everything from housing and childcare to transportation, education, and more,” Empowerment Plan’s website shares. “We have created an ecosystem of support through our community of partners to address the ever changing needs of our team.”

Roughly 60% of Empowerment Plan’s paid 40-hour work week is dedicated to coat production, with the remaining 40% focusing on programming and supportive services.

“This is the first job that has given me a sense of self-worth and value,” Sherika Lane, a program graduate, said in a testimonial. “I feel like I am part of something bigger and feel a sense of support and community when I come to work.”

When founder Veronika Scott started the initiative as a college project, she spoke to locals who were experiencing homelessness. When one woman approached her and said “I don’t need a jacket; I need a job,” it opened Scott’s eyes. 

“When she said that, I was like, you’re absolutely right,” Scott told The Guardian. “The coat on its own serves an immediate need. But what would really have the impact is hiring the people who would need it in the first place. And that was kind of the first step.”

Since the organization’s inception in 2012, Empowerment Plan has created 150 jobs and distributed over 85,000 coats across all 50 states, 11 provinces and territories, and 21 other countries.

People interested in getting coats in the hands of people who need them can “sponsor” one for $150 online, donate any amount, or purchase merchandise that supports the Empowerment Plan’s operations. 

And if someone is in need of a coat, they can reach out and request one, too. 

“In the world we see, women, children, and families living in poverty are no longer victims,” the organization’s website shares. “Instead, they are architects of their own future. They are educated. They are employed. And they are empowered.”

‍

Header image courtesy of Empowerment Plan