PBS高端访谈:底特律努力帮助无家可归者（在线收听）

AMNA NAWAZ: Across the country, communities struggle to create jobs and end homelessness. One Detroit nonprofit has found a unique solution to help address both challenges. Special correspondent Mary Ellen Geist has the story.

MARY ELLEN GEIST: Casandra Grimes has been homeless for a year. But she has started to stitch her life back together.

CASANDRA GRIMES, Seamstress: I try to just make my life better than it was before.

MARY ELLEN GEIST: Grimes discovered a unique opportunity, working at the Empowerment Plan, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending homelessness through employment. The organization was founded by Veronika Scott.

VERONIKA SCOTT, CEO, Empowerment Plan: Both of my parents struggled with employment and addiction and poverty, and so it is creating an opportunity I wish had been given to my own family.

MARY ELLEN GEIST: While conducting research to design a coat for homeless people, Scott was confronted by a woman who told her that she didn't need a coat; she needed a job. That led Scott to launch the Empowerment Plan, which offers both employment and a unique product for people in need, a durable garment that can be transformed from a shoulder bag, to a coat, to a sleeping bag, and back to a shoulder bag.

VERONIKA SCOTT: The coat on its own is a Band-Aid for a systemic issue, and what really has the impact is hiring the people that would need it in the first place.

MARY ELLEN GEIST: Casandra Grimes admits the job has its challenges.

CASANDRA GRIMES: You got to focus when you thread, because I kept on breaking the needle when I first started. But I manage it now.

MARY ELLEN GEIST: Managing the work-life balance is a part of employment at the Empowerment Plan. Employees spend 60 percent of their paid time working and 40 percent improving their education and life skills.

VERONIKA SCOTT: Empowerment Plan started off as an education for me, and it really has evolved into creating that same opportunity for education for everybody.

MARY ELLEN GEIST: Grimes is studying for her GED, and plans to attend college and pursue a career as a seamstress. Employees work at the Empowerment Plan for two years, then transition out into the work force. Grimes has a year left, and the organization is helping her find an apartment of her own.

CASANDRA GRIMES: I really do feel empowered when I am here, because I can get a good job in the future knowing I have got my education. I love what I do. They helped me get back on my feet too.

MARY ELLEN GEIST: For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Mary Ellen Geist in Detroit, Michigan.

阿姆纳·纳瓦兹：全国有许多社群在努力创造就业岗位，也不再让某些人无家可归。底特律有一家非盈利组织发现了一种独特的解决方案，可以应对这两个挑战。下面有请特派记者玛丽·埃伦为我们播报。

玛丽·埃伦：卡桑德拉·格兰姆斯已经流浪了一年。但她终于开启新生活了。

卡桑德拉·格兰姆斯，女裁缝师：我试着让自己过得比以前好。

玛丽·埃伦：格兰姆斯发现了一个独一无二的机会，她在“赋权计划”工作，这是一家非盈利组织，致力于通过增加就业岗位来让所有人都有家可归。该组织由薇罗妮卡·斯科特创立。

薇罗妮卡·斯科特，赋权计划首席执行官（CEO）：我父母找工作之路都很艰难，他们生活贫困，所以这是一个新的机会，我希望我的家人能获得这样的机会。

玛丽·埃伦：斯科特做了一项研究，为无家可归的人设计了帽子，但有一个女人质疑她的做法，她告诉斯科特自己需要的不是帽子，而是工作。这件事让薇罗妮卡·斯科特创立了“赋权计划”，该组织为流浪汉提供工作，为有需要的人提供独特的产品——耐穿的衣服，可以用肩包制成衣服、睡袋，还可以把衣服和睡袋变回衣服。

薇罗妮卡·斯科特：衣服是创可贴的样子，但真正有影响的地方在于雇佣需要衣服的人来做这件事。

玛丽·埃伦：卡桑德拉·格兰姆斯承认这份工作有挑战性。

卡桑德拉·格兰姆斯：缝线的时候要专注，因为我刚学这手艺的时候经常会把针弄断。但我现在可以应对自如了。

玛丽·埃伦：在“赋权计划”工作的话，还要在工作和生活之间找平衡。该组织的员工会将6成时间用于工作，4成之间用于提高自己的教育水平和生活技能。

薇罗妮卡·斯科特：“赋权计划”对我来说就是一种接受教育的机会，它已经变成为所有人提供平等教育机会的平台。

玛丽·埃伦：格兰姆斯正在读普通教育开发（GED），她还计划读大学，以后做一名专业裁缝师。“赋权计划”会让员工在这里工作2年，然后步入社会。格兰姆斯已经在这里工作了一年，这家组织帮助她找到了一间公寓。

卡桑德拉·格兰姆斯：我在这里的时候真地感觉自己在提升技能，因为我以后可以找到好工作，因为我知道自己获得了教育。我喜欢我的工作，让我感到脚踏实地。

玛丽·埃伦：感谢收听玛丽·埃伦从密歇根州底特律发回的《新闻一小时》。