Portable, Waterproof Shelter Bags Handed Out On Skid Row
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — There is a different kind of shelter available for homeless residents after the Salvation Army teamed up with a new organization.
Sheltersuit handed out their "shelter bags" near Skid Row Thursday afternoon. The bags are portable waterproof shelter beds that roll up into a bag and provide immediate shelter.
The bags also come with a sleeping bag and a built-in pillow with room to store an extra mattress or blanket.
A flexible tent pole is also built into the hood to keep it upright, providing more space and better shelter from the rain.
"We designed something that is really helpful for them because they are constantly on the move," said Sheltersuit founder Bas Timmer. "When we showed them the product they were like, 'Wow we can really use it," and it was like 15 minutes and we had all 50 given away."
Sheltersuit has given out more than 12,000 items around the world and is now expanding to Los Angeles and New York City this year.
Timmer launched Sheltersuit in his native Netherlands after experiencing the effects of homelessness firsthand.
