An innovative new method of donating money to the homeless using a contactless payment system fitted to a winter jacket is being tested on the streets of Amsterdam. Created by ad agency N=5, the product is designed to help well-wishers give one Euro with the tap of a card, money that can later be redeemed for meals, a bath or an overnight stay at a homeless shelter. The prototype winter coat has warm linings, heavy material and a fur hood, but also comes with an in-built contactless payment system and a logo that reads “Helping Heart.” The contactless payment jacket also comes with an LCD screen which constantly displays instructions of use. The fixed sum (one euro) goes into a bank account managed by a homeless shelter, and can only be used to purchase a hot meal, pay for a bath or spend a night at a homeless shelter (many such centres in the Netherlands require a contribution of 5€ per night). Homeless people can also save money for various job certification courses or a down-payment for a home.
