Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronika Scott.
Hi Veronika, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started the Empowerment Plan as a class project in college (college for Creative Studies in Detroit. We had to develop a project about designing to fill a need in the community. I spent three nights a week, every week for five months, working with, and spending time in a local shelter and designing the coat. And it wasn’t until a woman, that I had seen many times, stopped me after we issued prototype number 10, and said: “Look, I don’t need a coat, I need a job. What you’re doing is pointless.” I realized she was right. The coat on its own is a band-aid for a systemic issue, and what really has the impact is hiring the people that would need it in the first place. With that idea in mind, the original coat project evolved into an organization. It became about hiring people that normally would be on the receiving end of the product, working with them, helping them develop their goals, and supporting them to reach their goals. It’s been almost 10 years now and we have distributed over 50,000 coats to all US states and 22 other countries. At the same time, we have employed over 100 individuals and impacted them generationally, because each person we hire has about three kids on average. So, it’s this generational change that we’re looking to make.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been many, many challenges along the way and it definitely has not been a smooth road. Two of the biggest challenges have been learning how to build financial stability and asking for donations and help that would sustain the organization. Early on we lost one of our core team members who had been kind of like a den mother to everybody, somebody that had built the Empowerment Plan’s culture into a very loving, supportive one. On top of all the other struggles, we had to figure out what do we do when that person is gone and how do we continue building the culture in honor of her. There are also the challenges of the last two years when everything has changed and we have been fortunate enough to keep going. We never stopped working, we never laid anyone off. But at the same time, it has been incredibly emotionally taxing and traumatic for those that we serve. What has gone on with COVID, racial injustice, a rise in domestic violence, and all of those things layered on top of each other have had a profound impact on everyone. And at the same time, the demands for our coats rose exponentially and that was something we did not expect. It has definitely not been a smooth road, we are continuously facing new challenges, but we try to learn from those experiences the best that we can.
As you know, we’re big fans of Empowerment Plan. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At the Empowerment Plan, we focus on empowering and supporting individuals that have been trapped in the generational cycle of poverty. We are a Workforce Development Organization that aims to help the individuals we employ achieve self-sufficiency and sustainability while creating a product for those in need. We specialize in hiring individuals from shelters, primarily individuals with dependents, and we work with them for around two years before they are ready to move on to other employment opportunities within the community.
We are primarily known for the sleeping bag coats that we distribute around the globe.
What sets us apart from others is that we really take the triple bottom line very seriously. People truly come first. But it’s not just the employees that we serve. The product that we make is special, it helps and supports people that are displaced or houseless, across the globe. So not only are we supporting individuals through employment, but we also make a product that serves a social purpose on its own. Usually, most companies or organizations have one of those two things. But we are very lucky and grateful that we can support people in need with the coats and also generate revenue that way.
I’m so proud of the many things that we do at the Empowerment Plan. I am proud of seeing people that we have employed, gain confidence and stability. To see people become the person that they want to be is an incredible journey to be a part of. I am proud of how many lives we have been able and continue to impact around the globe through the coats we make.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me happy is getting to work with people I consider friends. Our team makes me really happy. These are people that you would want to get trapped in an escape room with and these are people that you want to call when things are hard, and you need help figuring something out. To have this kind of friendship and relationship with co-workers really makes me happy.
Pricing:
- Wellness Kit: $25
- Monthly Bus Passes $50,
- Sponsor a coat: $125
- Employee Incentives: $100, Stock our Pantry: $250
- Team Lunch/Supportive Services: $500
Contact Info:
- Email: info@empowermentplan.org
- Website: https://www.empowermentplan.org/
- Instagram: @empowermentplan
