Stories

Portland, USA

Always remember you are braver than you believe

At the corner of the gas station, a silver Ford Focus is parked next to the mini market. Marion has been sleeping in her car for “not too long, about twenty months.” That particular morning, her sleeping bag was damaged and she decided to make the trip to Rose Haven, our distribution partner.
Portland, USA

Community of likeminded radicals

This winter we handed out 750 Shelterbags in the Pacific NorthWest in partnership with local organizations Greater Good Northwest, Rose Haven, and Transition Projects. With your help, we were able to bring these critical products to the Western United States, all the way from our social factory in South Africa where they were produced.
Enschede, The Netherlands

Knowledge is freedom

At our foundation, we believe in giving people not only safety but also opportunities to grow and flourish. Providing jobs for newcomers and people at a distance from the labor market is one of our core ambitions.
Bogotá, Colombia

Working hard while sleeping rough

Colombia has one of the highest levels of poverty and income inequality in Latin America, preventing more than half of the population from accessing formal employment and social protection.

Paris, France

Samusocial de Paris

We joined a night shift at Samusocial de Paris. Their mobile assistance teams – made up of a social worker, a nurse, and a driver – go out day and night to meet homeless people on the streets throughout Paris.

Rotterdam, The Netherlands

NAS Rotterdam

How Dennis’ Sheltersuit was part of his journey towards housing in Rotterdam. He was sitting outside on a bench, when Bob first offered him a Sheltersuit. Six months later, we are invited for Dennis’ housewarming.
Los Angeles, USA

Unsheltered Moments L.A. – part 2

We’d like to introduce you to some of the people we’ve had to pleasure of meeting this winter when we were in Los Angeles with 530 Shelterbags from our social factory in Cape Town.

Los Angeles, USA

Unsheltered Moments L.A. – part 1

We’d like to introduce you to some of the people we’ve had to pleasure of meeting this winter when we were in Los Angeles with 530 Shelterbags from our social factory in Cape Town.

Los Angeles, USA

People Helping People in Los Angeles

530 Shelterbags for Los Angeles: If you’re unhoused in L.A. you’re constantly going around, trying to find your next meal, trying to find a safe area to sleep. Waitlists can be over 100 people, just to get into a night shelter. There’s a lot of services, but not enough beds, not enough of anything.
Enschede, The Netherlands

Sheltersuit rocks Chloé

In collaboration with Chloé, a total of 550 jackets and 550 backpacks were produced by our amazing team in our social factory in Enschede. Each item is unique and made by hand using up-cycled materials.
Enschede, The Netherlands

7 years of People Helping People

During his fashion studies, Bas received news that shocked him. His friends’ father died while he was sleeping outside. He died of hypothermia on a night when it was 8ºC. Today, Sheltersuit is a place where people passionately work together to prevent this.
Arnhem, The Netherlands

Thoughtful Design: Shelterbag evolution

Sheltersuit exists to help ease the symptoms of people experiencing homelessness. By listening to the people that are using our products, we determine the need and evaluate the results. Then, we do our best to convert that input into practice and incorporate it into the production process.
Rotterdam, The Hague and Leiden, The Netherlands

250 Shelterbags with Auping comfort

In August, the first Shelterbags with sleeping mats donated by Auping were distributed in the Netherlands in the cities of Rotterdam, The Hague and Leiden. Working together with various relief organizations, we can be sure that the Shelterbags are distributed with care to people who are forced to spend the night outside.
London, UK

“Try your hardest not to get used to it.”

William has survived without shelter for over twenty years following a family tragedy. Having recently lost his tent and belongings due to a council ‘clean up’, he now has to start again from nothing.
Maher and Bas creating a Sheltersuit & Chloé jacket
Enschede, The Netherlands

A day in our social factory

The radio is on, sewing machines are rattling, cheerful voices sound from all over. Anyone entering Sheltersuit Foundation’s workshop in Enschede will agree: this is a place where people work together with pleasure and dedication.
Bronx New York, USA

Working to be Part of the Solution

The past winter we worked closely with Part of the Solution (POTS); a community center in the Bronx, New York to protect their unsheltered members through freezing and sub-freezing nights on the streets. “Sheltersuit offers a tangible way for us to connect with our unsheltered friends on the street,” says Noelani, Head of Distribution at Sheltersuit USA, “But how do we get it to the people that need it?”
Arnhem, The Netherlands

Love of my life

Inge and her husband Björn were evicted after the unexpected death of their foster father and mentor. The couple, former sailors, are adventurous and strong. But after almost 3 years of illegal camping, with the fines to prove it, they long for a roof over their heads.
Cape Town, South Africa

Ubuntu: I am because we are

Major winter storms have led to flooding and power outages across Cape Town. The heavy rainfall creates hazardous situations for Cape Town’s unsheltered community, who risk being caught by flash floods. These extreme weather conditions pose a great danger to Cape Town’s vulnerable unsheltered.

Cape Town, South Africa

Surviving through friendship

Known as a compassionate and kind man with a love of nature, Jerald believes in living in peace and being understanding of each other. On his own, Jerald was an easy target to gangsters who would attack him. Forming friendships on the streets has been a critical survival tool as they each take care of one another.
Cape Town, South Africa

“If I can change, anyone can.”

Shane lives under the bridge with his unsheltered friends in Cape Town. When he was 17, Shane left school to work and support his family. His tough childhood led him to hang out with the wrong people and he ended up in prison. When he came out, he decided to live a different life on the street.
Enschede, The Netherlands

Sleeping bag to Sheltersuit

Moumin Albibi (25) started volunteering for Sheltersuit six years ago. Now he is one of our full-time employees. ‘Logistics employee,’ Moumin says with a laugh. ‘I arrange everything here at the studio.’ Moumin was born in Damascus, in Syria. ‘When I was eight years old, my father had a clothing factory. Growing up, I wanted […]
Cape Town, South Africa

Getting ready for winter in South Africa

“Here we are like a family. We’re working very close and understand each other. It has made my life better, it even made me a better person. I can now make a difference in someone’s life and this job has opened my eyes to help and give a hand to those in need.”
New York, USA

Six feet tall, yet invisible

“I’m so used to being invisible. People pass by me. I’m 6 foot tall! In American culture that’s pretty large! There were actually people that say: ‘oh I didn’t see you.” – Lotus, NY
Unsheltered Moments Paris
Paris, France

Alexandre, his cat and his treasure

Meet Alexandre. For the past four years, Alexandre has been homeless on the streets of Paris. For a while, he found safety and security in a social housing estate, but after the building was sold, he had nowhere else to turn.
New York City, USA

The gift of sleep

After her life in Montana took an unexpected turn, Sandra evolved into a seasoned survivor on the streets of New York. “The hardest part of being homeless is exhaustion. I call sleep ‘the gift of sleep’ because it’s so hard to get.” – Sandra
Kristina and the Artzmobil team
Berlin, Germany

Kristina and the Artzmobil team

Berlin is facing one of the coldest winters in years – with temperatures falling below freezing. This winter, the Sheltersuit Foundation teamed up with Arztmobil (a mobile doctor’s van initiative), a programme organised by Caritas, to provide Sheltersuits to Berlin’s most vulnerable individuals.
Tucson, USA

Brian and his campmates

Panhandling at an intersection, we met Brian, a 36 year-old army veteran who served his country for 10 years and had three combat tours; two in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. A native of Dallas, Texas, Brian has been living on the streets in Tucson for nearly 5 years.
Los Angeles, USA

Eva and Lawrence

Parked in the neighborhood of Miracle Mile, Los Angeles is Eva. Eva, a Hungarian born in 1950, has travelled across the United States eight times in her car, which she now sleeps in at night. It is her home.
Phoenix, USA

Mike gives us a tour of a tent encampment in Phoenix

Here at Sheltersuit, we have the privilege to work with other non-profits dedicated to protecting our unsheltered friends across the world. We joined the Phoenix-based organization Cloud Covered Streets for one of their street missions, providing showers, haircuts, laundry, and potential employment to individuals experiencing homelessness. “I’ve had the most positive weeks when I came […]