Chance The Rapper is personally working to help keep the homeless persons of Chicago warm this winter. The MC has partnered with Detroit non-profit organization The Empowerment Plan to create Warmest Winter, a campaign to produce 1,000 coats that will help keep the Windy City's most at-risk residents safer, warmer and healthier all through the season.
It all canters around the EMPWR, a water-resistant, self-heating jacket that can be changed into a sleeping bag whenever needed. Made from upcycled insulation, the jackets cost $100 each to make, and donators can "sponsor" one or more jackets with each $100 donation.
- The Empowerment Plan can produce 1,000 coats on a budget of $100,000. Our studies show that for each 1,000 coats distributed, we can save 14 lives. Each year approximately 7% of homeless individuals die from hypothermia. Our coat reduces this statistic by over 20%.- It costs $100 to sponsor a coat, which covers the cost of labor, materials, and overhead expenses.
The donation program also includes Kickstarter-like rewards, including entries to win tickets to Chicago Bulls and White Sox games, along with the chance to score a meet & greet with Chance The Rapper during a 2016 show of your choice. The MC tweeted about the Warmest Winter campaign Friday, imploring fans to open up their hearts and checking accounts and give whatever amount they can.
So far, 233 backers have donated over $23,000 to the campaign, and Chance himself has been extremely outgoing in his recognition and thanks for those who have taken the time to give. Read more about the Warmest Winter project here and please do donate whatever you can. Take it from a native Midwesterner--those Chicago winters are long, dark and frigid. No one should be left unprotected, out in the cold.
