WARREN — St. Vincent de Paul Northeast Ohio will be starting an initiative to help support local residents during the winter months.

Darlene Jones, CEO of St. Vincent de Paul Northeast Ohio, said the program will initially provide 35 dual-use sleeping bag coats to Trumbull County neighbors in need, with more to be ordered through community support.

Jones said the society, which is a local nonprofit dedicated to helping residents in need, with the sleeping bag coats to help residents experiencing homelessness.

She said each coat, developed by Empowerment Plan, serves as a high-quality winter coat during the day, transforms into a fully functional sleeping bag to provide shelter and warmth during winter nights, and rolls into an over-the-shoulder pack for additional mobility.

Officials said the SVdP Northeast Ohio serves on the frontline of emergency aid to those struggling with poverty issues, and this initiative enables the organization to create lasting positive impacts for those facing winters without consistent shelter.

Jones said the SVdP Northeast Ohio purchased the coats as part of its programmatic support for those individuals in the area who are homeless.

She said SVdP is identifying individuals in greatest need and distributing the coats throughout the community.

While 35 coats were initially purchased, community support and donations will enable SVdP Northeast Ohio to purchase and distribute more coats over the winter.

EMPWR coats are designed to provide warmth and protection in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Each coat fits most users ranging from a women’s size medium to men’s size 2x large.

Individuals will also receive personal care kits that include a new pair of Bombas socks, hats, gloves, toiletries and other items with each coat to ensure their needs are met through the winter.

Empowerment Plan is a holistic workforce development organization based in Detroit, Michigan, which offers full-time employment and services for individuals recovering from homelessness.

These coats are built by former homeless individuals, for homeless individuals.

Jones said the EMPWR Coat program builds upon SVdP Northeast Ohio’s ongoing efforts to support the local community throughout the year.

SVdP Northeast Ohio provided more than $1.04 million in total services in 2024. In the past 12 months, the organization provided more than 118,000 home-cooked meals, over $404,000 in rent, utility, emergency housing and other voucher assistance, 20,000+ lbs. of food boxes, $162,900 in clothing given away, and 476 new mattresses and beds.

The services were provided to nearly 6,300 local individuals and were made possible by 434 SVdP volunteers over 35,000 volunteer hours.