The Empowerment Plan

Veronika Scott, a 21 year-old design student is developing a complete program focused on the production and distribution of coats by and for the homeless.



Originally begun as a class assignment the project has become a social mission.

NPR story here.

Green Opportunities

Green Opportunities is a community-based development organization dedicated to improving lives, communities and planetary health through innovative green collar job training and placement programs. 

Firestorm Cafe

Firestorm Cafe, on a quiet little backstreet in AVL.  A little secret jewel of a place, with doors wide open to anyone that wants to walk in.

"Established as a worker-owned and self-managed business, we aim to provide community space, critical literature and an alternative economic model based on cooperative, libertarian principles."

Good Coffee

I met one of the owners this summer (yup, multi-talented primo craft woodworker...) For profit, with ethics.  It can be done.

Short Street Cakes

Jodi Rhoden,  sweets activist.    Small business doing big works (and the cupcakes are GREAT!)

Free Stores

Free Stores are an effective way of redistributing/sharing resources and reducing waste. The Free Store removes cash economics from the equation, making it equally accessible to the whole population. Here's an example of one in Baltimore...