Turtle Shelter Project
About the Vests
Foam clothing dramatically reduces moisture as being a threat to a person's life in the cold! Foam clothing is marketed to emergency preparedness and extreme sports audiences because of its ability to keep you warm in winter conditions. Being cold is one thing, but being cold and wet is miserable. Being cold, wet, and without shelter can be life threatening. This technology is usually sold in emergency preparedness venues and super expensive. It does make sense because the technology is super valuable that the clothing should cost a lot, but we disagree: nobody likes to be cold and people function a lot better when they are not freezing to death! So we created a foam vest that covers the core and we called the Turtle Shelter because it acts like a shelter and harnesses the wearer's body heat even while wet and even in freezing temperatures.
How We Help
Our mission is to ensure that every individual facing homelessness has access to essential warmth. Through community partnerships and generous donations, we distribute these life-saving vests where they are needed most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the vests made of?
The vests are made of foam insulation and a durable, wind-resistant outer layer to ensure maximum warmth and protection.
How can I donate or volunteer?
Visit our donations page or sign up to volunteer through our volunteer program.
I want to help, but I don’t sew.
Turtle Shelter Project vests are designed to be made by volunteers who have no special sewing skills. We can put any willing volunteer to work who can use a marker or a pair of scissors. Although we do need people with basic and advanced sewing skills, there are lots of the steps that can be done by those with no sewing skills. The final construction is done by our expert staff. The completed vests are then returned to the community where volunteers made them - or to another area with need.
If you want to help homeless people be warm, why not just do a coat drive?
The foam insulation layer combined with moisture wicking fabrics creates a more effective insulation layer than other winter clothing. Clothing made from foam will provide warmth even if it is wet – it allows the wearer to maintain their core body temperature.