California city deploys bizarre new ‘empowerment coats’ for homeless people ahead of El Niño

A Southern California faith group is handing out jackets that transform into sleeping bags to help hundreds of homeless people stay warm and dry as the region braces for a potentially stormy El Niño winter.

Michael Aplikowsky, of Convicted 4 Christ Ministries, is distributing approximately 200 “empowerment coats” to homeless people in northern San Diego County, ABC 10 News reported.

The specially designed jackets can be worn during the day before unfolding into sleeping bags at night, providing protection for people sleeping outdoors.

The organization is also handing out about 700 tarps to help keep people and their belongings dry as winter storms approach.

Among those to receive a coat Saturday was Daniel Hurtado, who has been homeless on and off for nearly a decade.

Hurtado said the donation came at a crucial time, with rain on the way and the prospect of freezing nights ahead.

“I’d be freezing at night and honestly like it’s been and I’m not ready for the rain that’s why I’m like this empowerment code is gonna be so amazing,” he told ABC 10 News.

Another homeless man, Danny Trejo, was equally grateful.

“We’re definitely blessed with these coats for sure,” Trejo said.

Aplikowsky demonstrated how the lightweight jackets unfold into sleeping bags, offering a practical solution for people without permanent shelter.

“Amazingly light. They open up, like this, simply unroll them. And what you have is a jacket,” he told ABC 10 News.

He also explained how the tarps could be used as makeshift shelters, with one placed on the ground and another overhead to keep out the rain.

The donations come as forecasters warn that a strong El Niño could bring unusually wet weather to Southern California this winter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s October winter outlook predicts wetter-than-average conditions across much of the southern US, including California, between December 2026 and February 2027.

Ken Graham, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, warned that the weather pattern could increase the risk of dangerous storms.

“As we know from decades of observations, a very strong El Nino will likely bring a southward and eastward shift to the jet stream for the contiguous U.S., which tilts the odds toward stormier weather across the South,” Graham said.

“While higher chances of rain and snow may bring relief to drought-afflicted areas, too much precipitation on dry soil can fuel destructive flash floods and mudslides. Now is the time for communities and individuals to plan ahead for the upcoming winter,” he continued.

More than 1,000 people were experiencing unsheltered homelessness in northern San Diego County in 2026, according to data from the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness published by the county’s Health and Human Services Agency.

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