{"id":14861,"date":"2012-09-11T10:41:40","date_gmt":"2012-09-11T16:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-367309-1145705.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=14861"},"modified":"2012-09-11T10:41:40","modified_gmt":"2012-09-11T16:41:40","slug":"detroit-homeless-empowerment-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/detroit-homeless-empowerment-project\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Put Some of Detroit's Homeless to Work Making Coats for Others"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/p>\n Quite a few of our fellow citizens would sum up the solution to homelessness<\/a> in three short words: “Get a job!” OK, yes, gainful employment would help in many cases, but if you don’t have much in the way of skills, and are maybe even dealing with mental illness, addiction, or other disabilities, that’s easier said than done (and we’re not even discussing those people who are homeless and employed). Many people on the streets need someone to take an interest in their situation, and help them find shelter and build their skills.<\/p>\n Traditionally, these efforts have come from charitable organizations; more and more, though, we’re seeing social entrepreneurs<\/a> creating innovative approaches to challenges like homelessness. \u00a0In Detroit, Veronika Scott came up with the idea underlying The Empowerment Plan<\/a> while a student at the College for Creative Studies. Her concept: a waterproof, self-heating coat that could also serve as a sleeping bag. She didn’t stop with a product to give out, though: a part of her plan involved putting homeless women to work actually making these coats. Veronika lanuched her idea in late 2010, and since then has put eight homeless women to work full time (and also helped them find homes). They turn out 150 of the coats each month.<\/p>\n