The coats transform into sleeping bags to provide life-saving warmth and winter protection, and will be distributed through outreach events with Veterans Village of San Diego, We See You San Diego, and more.
SAN DIEGO, CA – December 2, 2024: In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, the Lucky Duck Foundation this week is distributing sleeping bag coats to unsheltered homeless individuals throughout San Diego County. The heavy-duty, weather resistant coats transform into sleeping bags to provide critical warmth and protection from the elements.
The campaign kick-off and first coat outreach event will be held in partnership with the Veterans Village of San Diego and Padres Foundation on Monday, December 2 from 8am-11:30am at the intersection of Park Blvd. and 10th Ave.
On Giving Tuesday, December 3, the Lucky Duck Foundation will distribute additional coats at a lavish dinner party for the homeless community hosted by We See You San Diego at 5:30pm in Pacific Beach at 1675 Garnet Ave. in San Diego, 92109. Speakers will include Lucky Duck Foundation CEO Drew Moser, We See You San Diego Founder and Executive Director, Laura Chez, and Aaron Barrett, an individual who benefitted from the gift of one of these life-saving coats when he was homeless, living on the streets of San Diego. The dinner party provides a welcoming environment to establish relationships and trust, and unsheltered participants are also invited on an individual pathway out of homelessness and addiction, such as through inpatient medical detox, a residential recovery program, sober living sponsorships, a supportive community, and more.
The Lucky Duck Foundation endeavors to distribute 4,500 of the sleeping bag coats throughout San Diego County this winter and raise funds on Giving Tuesday for the same. This will expand its initiative that over the past several winters has purchased and distributed more than 12,500 coats, which have been described by recipients as “life-saving.” The coats are manufactured by the Empowerment Plan, a Detroit-based nonprofit that has served as a pillar in the city of Detroit for over a decade, helping over 150 families overcome homelessness and producing more than 85,000 EMPWR coats, which have been distributed across all 50 states and 20 countries worldwide. The weather-resistant coats can be worn as a shoulder bag and are made from recycled and donated materials. Each coat costs $150.
“We are humbled by the impact these coats have had on our unsheltered neighbors,” said Drew Moser, CEO of the Lucky Duck Foundation. “We’ll continue to invest in and advocate for more shelter beds, detox beds, and other immediate pathways off the streets, as well as preventative measures such as employment and job training opportunities, but in the meantime these coats are critical for those facing homelessness. We encourage the public to support this effort by donating.”
To fundraise for the Giving Tuesday campaign, the Lucky Duck Foundation is offering a triple donation matching challenge through December 15 for up to $150,000, thanks to San Diego Foundation and Lucky Duck Foundation co-founders. To view the coat and support, please visit: https://www.luckyduckfoundation.org/giving-tuesday-2024
About the Lucky Duck Foundation
Since 2005, The Lucky Duck Foundation (LDF) has raised funds and awareness for numerous charitable causes throughout San Diego. In 2017, due to the growing homelessness epidemic, LDF pivoted to focus on providing aid and relief for individuals and families suffering from homelessness. Since then, LDF and its co-founders, Pat & Stephanie Kilkenny, have funded, activated, and led several high-impact programs that alleviate the suffering of homelessness throughout San Diego County, including bridge shelters, employment and job training, research, permanent supportive housing, outreach, and more. Originally called the AGIA Foundation (Arrowhead General Insurance Agency), the name was changed to the Lucky Duck Foundation to honor the Kilkenny family’s Irish heritage and as a nod to their love of the University of Oregon. The premise is simple: if you have had some good luck and fortune in your life, share your luck with those less fortunate. And, all donations are matched by Pat & Stephanie, up to $1.5 million per year.
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About Empowerment Plan
Empowerment Plan is a Detroit-based nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness through employment and social services. The organization provides full-time jobs to individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, training them to manufacture innovative EMPWR coats, which transform into sleeping bags. By equipping its employees with job skills and stability, Empowerment Plan empowers them to achieve financial independence, while distributing life-saving coats to those in need across the world. Since its inception, Empowerment Plan has distributed over 85,000 coats across 50 states and 20 countries. For more information, visit www.empowermentplan.org
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