For the residents of Champions Place, living independent, self-reliant lives did not seem like a reality until this past fall when the Champions Community Foundation opened a first-of-its-kind, shared living residence for young adults with physical disabilities outside Atlanta, Georgia. With bedding and furniture donated by the TOMMY HILFIGER brand, Champions Place serves as a social hub for more than 80 young adults with physical disabilities and creates opportunities for engagement with the greater local community, both which foster relationships, friendships, and understanding.
All residents were also received TOMMY HILFIGER Adaptive clothing, delivering fashion with innovative modifications that make getting dressed easier.
The TOMMY HILFIGER Adaptive collection, now available in North America, Europe, Japan and Australia, was created to be inclusive and empower people of all abilities to express themselves through their style. At TOMMY HILFIGER, we believe everyone should be able to wear clothes that make them feel good – whatever their age, size, gender, sexuality or ability. We have committed to make everyone welcome: to be always inclusive and completely accessible.
Champions Place, specifically designed to help these young adults live independent, self-reliant lives, provides safe, affordable and accessible suite-style living for its residents.
Google has also provided assistive technology products to enable residents to perform daily tasks with greater independence. Utilizing voice technologies, residents will independently operate entertainment devices (TV, streaming services, music, audio books, etc.), turn on/off lights and fans, open/close doors and blinds, adjust room temperature, call friends and family, and more. To learn more about the Google technology at the residence, watch the video here.
In a recent The Wall Street Journal article, TOMMY HILFIGER is featured, alongside Google, as one of the first companies to supply Champions Place with products in exchange for user feedback. “With adaptive clothing, we understand that dressing needs and challenges continue to change,” said company founder and principal designer Tommy Hilfiger. “So, it is important to us to keep putting the consumer at the heart of our process, working directly with the community so we can further innovate our collections based on their feedback.”
Check out a virtual tour of Champions Place.
Photo: The residents are (left to right) Sarah Grace, Mathew Dooley, and Adam Laarhoven, provided by Champions Community Foundation