Meet SHANIQUA HOPKINS | Founder and Executive Director of 7th Dream Helping Hearts

We had the good fortune of connecting with SHANIQUA HOPKINS and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi SHANIQUA, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I was in foster care from the age of 8months until 15, I also became a mom at 15 years old. When I was in foster care as a teen I did not have the greatest experiences. I always said to myself when I get older I was going to change fostercare even if it was just one child at a time. Being a teen mom I did not have alot of support. My business was created based off my experiences, what I wish I had and what helped me to be successful.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the founder of 7th Dream Helping Hears. We serve pregnant and parenting teens. Our Mission is to transform our women and children by protecting, educating, uplifting and inspiring. We offer mentoring services, mom and me events, resources and support groups. We also make every effort to be involved in our community. Our services are designed to eliminate the barriers for parents so that they can focus on being a great mom and provide their children with the best life possible. 7th Dream is set apart from other services because our organization is created off of experience/OUR REALITIES. Everyone that is involved was a young parent, single parent or was in foster care. We can relate directly to each and every person that reaches out to us. I believe that the best person to be able to help another is a person that has a lived experienced.

It was not easy. I did not know where to start. I am grateful for the organizations and individuals that has helped me to get to where I am today. It took lots of classes, trainings, late nights, sweat and tears. I am still currently learning and building our organization so that we are here 70 years from now still serving our young parents,

I learned that being a non profit is not easy, the funding is not always there being a new organization. This taught me to not give up and each person I meet teaches me a new way to keep moving forward. The support has been amazing.

I want teen mom’s and mom’s to be to know there is an organization in the Valley that has been where you are, and that we are here to SERVE YOU, guide you, support you and hold your hand while we go through this thing they call life. I want them to know that there is no handbook and to never give up because the rewards are amazing, This is just another stepping stone that we will all overcome together.

I would like the Valley to know that this is an underserved population, that these women are raising OUR FUTURE and we need your help to continue to fulfill our mission. We need donors, sponsors, volunteers and partnerships. We are working to provide supportive housing and we need the community behind us. With the rising cost of housing in the Valley our teen moms aging out of foster care and their children can benefit in more ways than one with the help of this program. We need YOU to make this happen. Donations can be made via our website, paypal link, cash app or even zelle.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my friend was visiting Arizona, my first stop would be West Gate. It is amazing, we can eat at Yardhouse, We can have drinks at Fat Tuesdays, We can shop over at Tanger. have a little fun at Dave and Buster’s, its just a one stop thats all kind of place. The scenery speaks for itself.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My children. Being a mom of 7 has not been easy but they are the reason I keep going, they are the reason I make the decisions I make. They are my focus to make the best decisions so they can look back and I can be a role model for them.

Website: www.7thdreamhelpinghearts.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/7th_dream_helping_hearts/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086753730047

Other: cash app $7thdream22 paypal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=6VMC5AD7GW7LQ zelle: 7thdream@helpinghearts22.org