homeless coat/sleeping bag is called Element-S (for survival)A 21-year-old design student in Detroit redesigned the winter coat to help homeless people suffering from relentlessly cold winters. The ankle-length “Element S” is hooded, self-heated and waterproof, but it also transforms into a sleeping bag at night.

Not only that, her Detroit Empowerment Plan envisioned that the coat be made by a group of homeless women who are paid minimum wage, and fed and housed while creating the coats. The plan now creates jobs for those who desire them and coats for those who need them at no cost.

“The goal is to empower, employ, educate, and instill pride,” writes Veronika Scott, the coat’s creator. “The importance is not with the product but with the people.”

Donations to the project are tax-deductible. Visit the website to find out more ways you can help, like donating hot glue guns or thread.

(WATCH the video below from CNN, or READ an interview at Fast Company)

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