Detroit nonprofit organization Empowerment Plan gears up for World Homeless Day

DETROIT (WXYZ) — For someone who is homeless, having the basic necessities like food and clean clothes is often a struggle.

The CEO of Empowerment Plan, a nonprofit organization that works to break the cycle of homelessness, understands this.

“Personally, growing up in a situation of homelessness where my family struggled with mental health and all sorts of struggles with resources,” Veronika Scott said.

World Homeless Day is Wednesday and Empowerment Plan is putting all their focus on providing coats that turn into sleeping bags for the homeless to honor the special day.

“This is our kickoff event of Project 10,” Scott said. “Which really is about raising awareness for World Homeless Day, which is October 10th and giving out 1,000 coats across the U.S. to 10 different cities.”

The organization planned to deliver a total of 168 coats to organizations across the city by the end of the day Monday.

Aside from helping the homeless community with resources, Empowerment Plan also does something special for the staff that they hire.

“They help you with home, housing and things like that,” said Brandon Henderson, an employee of the organization.

Scott says that was one of her missions when she created the organization.

“A job is a part of it, but there’s a lot more than just employment that needs to be addressed to actually break out of this cycle of homelessness,” Scott said.

Henderson, 41, says finding Empowerment Plan has changed his life for the better and when he leaves the organization, he will have more than just money in his pocket.

“They really set you up to succeed in the world,” Henderson said. “And sometimes you make mistakes and things like that, but there comes a time where you want to get back right in life, and this is the place for it.”