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GM clothes homeless in extra auto material

By donating unused materials, General Motors lends a helping hand to Detroit's most needy.

William Sprecher CNET Blog Network author
Will Sprecher is a blogger for CNET Car Tech. He has worked previously with other online publications including DriverSide.com and has an insatiable for appetite all things automotive and mechanical.
William Sprecher
Empower Plant

Coat made from donated materials Empowerment Pant

Interesting news out of Detroit, General Motors donates leftover sound absorbing material to be turned into warm weather clothing for the city's homeless.

In total, GM has given over 2,000 lbs of unused and leftover materials to the Empowerment Plan, a Detroit-based nonprofit aimed at providing the homeless of that city a job with pay, and a coat. A coat, that in this case, is not only self-heating, waterproof, and transforms into a sleeping bag, but is also made from material donated by GM. In one of the coldest cities in the United States, a coat can go a long way.

A small operation, the Empowerment Plan employs eight homeless women full-time making around 150 coats a month. The idea behind the organization is to employ homeless women of Detroit, teach sewing and manufacturing skills to people who need jobs, and provide a warm jacket for those people living on the street.