Detroit Entrepreneur Opens Factory, Makes Innovative Coats For The Homeless

[jpbollma]

I am very excited about some of the positive developments in Detroit lately!

http://www.freep.com/article/20121105/NEWS05/311050126/entrepreneur-New-Frontier-Award-John-F-Kennedy-Library-Foundation?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p


In a weed-strewn corner of Corktown in Detroit, inside a long-abandoned stamping plant, six women are sewing their dreams into a new kind of coat.


The women, homeless just months ago, know that they also are stitching the dreams of a tall young woman in their midst -- the one they call Miss Scott.


"I'm still surprised how far this has gone," Veronika Scott said, mirroring the women's smiles, as visitors toured her new mini-factory.

[Lindsay]

1. This is wonderful.

Thank you for posting it.

[splat]

2. This could be reproduced everywhere

Such a simple concept, and there are homeless everywhere who are starting to feel winter's chill coming in.

Thank you for letting us know.

[Generic Other]

3. A young woman with a big heart and lots of creativity!

She is amazing. And her workers are getting a real chance to help themselves while helping their fellow homeless.

The donated scrap fabric from the auto plant is cool too.

[FirstLight]

4. THIS is what the NEW ECONOMY looks like!

I tell ya, ideas like this being more widely accepted is one of the reasons I love Occupy and other Community based business experiments... Humans have lost the sense of the Communal Life, and the connection to Ancestors and generations to come...Sustainability is the name of the game.

I LOVE the fact that she is building this company WITH the very people she aims to help. That's how it's done, folks.


shared this on FB...and here's another site to check out, a fellow DUer has this cool vision...
www.wishadoo.org

rock ON!

[MissMarple]

12. Thanks! Wishadoo looks like an interesting site. And purposeful.

http://wishadoo.org/

"Each of us is an expression of hope in the world. And we all have within us the power to move our world forward. Each small action we take is a determination in the direction of humanity. There is no need to wait for someone else to save us. Wishadoo! provides tools to help build the communities we want. Together, we have an abundance of abilities, an abundance of ideas, and an abundance of solutions.


By sharing the vision of a compassionate, caring community, we take humanity to the next level; where we share from our abundance. Wishadoo! is about meeting in community to meet the needs of humanity. Transforming the way we conduct ourselves in community, in business, in life, because the business of community is life. Wishadoo! supports strategies that support life. We are longing for the connection that comes from real community action; meeting our needs and the needs of others. This is our heritage as humans. From our hope for a bright future, springs the change we bring to the world.


Our future is in our hands. I invite everyone to join the hand of friendship, community, vision, that is offered to you now, in this space. Come join us at Wishadoo!, where we bring community to life."


~ Wishadoo! Founding Member, Bonnie York"

[FirstLight]

13. yes...

I wish I could spend more time there...in fact, we'd like to build a community for news and interaction in the forums much like here at DU...with a different slant.

Our own One Grass Root is THE Mother brainstormer/president of the site... (not the same person you quoted above, but she is another one I know and love and respect too for her wisdom and work for the common good!)

[PATXgirl]

5. Great story.

[jpbollma]

7. I also think

she could employ more people by marketing this to hunters, winter campers, and for those who keep safety supplies in their vehicles. I also like that it is giving the homeless new skills. Corktown is a neighborhood in greater downtown. I live downtown and this neighborhood has made a real comeback.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

11. Buy one, get one free!

one for you, one for the homeless

[Care Acutely]

6. K & R!

C'mon Mr. Buffet, pony up a little

[codjh9]

8. That's awesome. And if I was Warren Buffett, I WOULD have sent her $$

[SoapBox]

9. Kicked!

[OneGrassRoot]

10. I'm collecting stories like these and there are a LOT in Detroit...

I'm with you, jpbollma -- I'm lovin' the energy in Detroit. Makes me want to move there, all the grassroots goodness going on.



Thanks for posting!

K&R