Meet Veronika Scott. As a 22 year old Product Design student at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Veronica took professor Steve Schock‘s class on Design Activism and it changed her life.
As her class project, Veronika spent hours at a homeless shelter and with the help of their residents, developed a coat that also doubles as a sleeping bag at night and a shoulder bag when not in use. The Element S (survival), now called the EMPWR Coat, is self heated, and waterproof . The coat not only filled a need in the community, but became a way for Scott to improve the lives of others.
Ms. Scott stepped up and decided to do more than help the homeless stay warm in the cold Michigan winters, she began to hire people from local shelters and help them work their way out of homelessness. Her nonprofit organization, “The Empowerment Plan“, centers around lifting single parents out of homelessness by providing them with training and work making coats.
Over 34 families now have permanent housing thanks to a 20-something with a good idea, and a good heart. Together they have made over 15.000 EMPWR coats distributed across North America.
Good for you Veronika! Thanks for keeping us all warm for the holidays.
The STEAM HUB 