Heather Hopkins: A Mother Called to Serve

When Heather Hopkins’ mother told her a story about how ashamed she was to go to school in tattered and ill-fitting clothes and shoes when she was a child, Heather was moved to action. But donating clothes and shoes to a couple of shelters in her area wasn’t enough for Heather, so in 2006, she founded My New Red Shoes. Her nonprofit allowed Heather to help many more children than she could have alone. In 2010, My New Red Shoes provided 2,952 hand-sewn back-to-school gift bags to family shelters in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to new shoes, the gift bags contain clothing gift cards, small school supplies, and a handwritten note. 

The difference this simple gift makes to a child’s confidence is remarkable. You can read stories about the effect these gift bags have had on individual children and their families on the My New Red Shoes website.

I met Heather and her husband in passing when she was expecting her first child. We next met at Blossom Birth in Palo Alto, each with a young daughter in arms. When she started My New Red Shoes, I remember telling her how much I admired her moxie. That admiration has only grown over the years as I’ve watched her nonprofit grow and help more and more children.

With the move and the job situation, I’ve not done as much in the way of service this month as I would have liked. But I find Heather to be an inspiring person in my life, and I was thrilled when she agreed to let me interview her for Imperfect Happiness. I hope that her story will inspire you as well.

Many people feel a desire to help, but few start nonprofits to do so. How did you go from feeling inspired by your mother’s story to help children to starting My New Red Shoes?

Before I started My New Red Shoes, I’d hear people say things like, “I couldn’t NOT do [insert amazing accomplishment here].” Those statements always seemed unrealistic to me, and I couldn’t imagine a normal (not incredibly smart, dedicated, connected) person pulling something off by simply being inspired. Then, when I heard my mother’s story, I suddenly understood. Something in me just wouldn’t let it go. I couldn’t NOT go out and help other children have clothes they could feel proud of at school. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, day and night. At one point, I considered giving up due to the massive amounts of paperwork required to gain federal nonprofit status and my husband said, “If that’s what stops you from doing this, that’s pretty pathetic.” So, in more ways then one, I couldn’t NOT start My New Red Shoes. I had passion and the amazing support system that would allow me to do something.

This has been true from the start for me. To be honest, one of the reasons I felt compelled to do something was to make myself feel better about what my mother experienced, pure and simple. Hearing her story placed a burden on me. I needed to do something to make things “right.” In some sort of karmic way, helping other little girls (and boys) by giving them new clothing and shoes for school felt to me like it would right the wrong that happened to my mother so many years ago.

This is a great question as it has been a constant struggle for me to balance work and parenting over the years. In fact, a minute ago, I asked my six-year-old-daughter to wait until I was finished with this interview before singing me a song she learned today at school (and is very excited about). Was that neglectful or was I simply placing healthy barriers on her expectations so that I could let others know that they, too, can make a difference? Probably both. In many ways, I’m a better mom (more patient, around more, more likely to cook dinner) when I’m not working hard at My New Red Shoes. In other ways, I’m a better mother for working around the clock to create a place for my daughter and her generation to learn about compassion and serving others.

Whether you live in the Bay Area or not, if you’re moved to help My New Red Shoes, you can find opportunities on the website to donate and volunteer regardless of where you live.