Paying It Forward: EMPWR - The Empowerment Plan

Veronica Scott is paying it forward.

Veronica Scott lived in a homeless shelter growing up. To get out of her incredibly difficult life situation Veronica created her own company called EMPWR - The Empowerment Plan based out of Detroit, Michigan. EMPWR employs homeless women to produce versatile coats that can function both as a winter jacket, sleeping bag, and a shoulder bag when not in use. The company has become a huge success in creating employment and also keeping homeless people warm at night.

Watch video - Video starts after 30 seconds, so hang in there.

There are many reasons for homelessness, and the stories of the homeless are as diverse as they are heartbreaking. Many of the homeless community include veterans with PTSD, individuals with mental illness and no ability to seek medical treatment, people who have endured severe childhood trauma often leading to alcohol and drug addiction, and even more common now is medical bankruptcy and job loss. There is generally very little, or no, family support in these situations.

After watching the video about Veronica Scott I became so inspired, as Veronica demonstrates “paying it forward” so beautifully. Understanding homelessness has become a passion of mine over the past few years since I became very good friends with Angie. Angie was homeless in Corvallis for many years and has now been off the streets for just over three years. I will save her story for another BLOG.

I mentioned The Empowerment Program to my good friend, and local artist Barb Wilson, and she suggested that we team up together. The goal of teaming up is simple, we aim to support those who are most in need by purchasing the winter jackets/sleeping bags for the Corvallis homeless population. In freezing winter conditions, many homeless individuals are struggling to stay warm in Corvallis, especially through winter.

Our most recent fundraising event was on Mother’s Day weekend. Every year hundreds of volleyball teams and thousands of visitors flock to the Willamette Volleyball Classic Tournament in Corvallis, Oregon. Barb and a team of volunteers set up a booth to raise money to buy winter jackets/sleeping bags for those in need in our Corvallis community.

Barb donated all her hand crafted wooden boxes and the result was an outstanding success!

For every coat, The Empowerment Program asks that $100.00 be donated to help cover the cost or production and salaries of the women employed through this organization. Because of many generous donors over the past couple of years, so far over 67 jackets have already been purchased for the Corvallis homeless community. Now, thanks to Barb Wilson we will be able to purchase many more after the successful Mothers Day’s weekend event.

Kevin Weaver / Outreach, First Christian Church, Corvallis, Oregon - “Louise, I am writing you to let you know of the positive effect on peoples lives the sleeping bag / jackets have had. I gave one out to a man who had no socks and a thin coat. The next evening I saw him without his jacket asking for another. When I asked what happened to his he told me he had given his away to someone who needed it more. The sun was down and because of his previous behavior the man who gave his jacket away was not allowed in the church for another 30 days. It was because of your generosity that we have had scores of jackets to hand out. There is ice every morning at that point in the year. I gave him another jacket with strict words that he was to save his own life and keep that one. I am fully convinced those jackets have saved lives. Last year was the first winter that we have not has a homeless death due to the cold. One man lost all his toes, but nobody died and that is a first. These coats undoubtedly save lives”.