Veronika Scott founded The Empowerment Plan, which gives self-heated, waterproof coats that transform into sleeping bags to people on the streets of Detroit. The garments are made and sold by homeless women with proceeds going directly to helping them each earn a living and find shelter.
Scott wants Detroit locals to know that one in every 42 people in the city are homeless and shelters are often too overwhelmed and under-supported to help everyone. The Empowerment Plan aims to end the “cycle of homelessness,” which often occurs when a homeless person is unable to get back on track within the two years they are supported by a shelter.
This year, Scott plans to double The Empowerment Plan’s staff, which will consequently double the production rate. She will also launch a for-profit company this year that will sell a line of coats made by the same previously homeless ladies who have benefitted from The Empowerment Plan. Through this new endeavor, Scott promises that for every coat sold, one will be donated in turn. A CrowdRise campaign to get the company off the ground is in the works.
“The people that buy a coat will know where it came from, who made it, and where it will end up being donated,” Scott says. “This is an exciting opportunity to create a sustainable job system for these amazing women who have learned so much at the Empowerment Plan.”
Scott’s new for-profit entity will be leaking the designs this summer, with the launch slated for early fall.
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