My New Red Shoes

What My New Red Shoes does

mBOLDen Change, formerly My New Red Shoes, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006 in a Menlo Park garage and now headquartered at 3790 El Camino Real #1098, Palo Alto, California. The organization supports children and families experiencing poverty through in-kind support (clothing, shoes), direct cash assistance, guaranteed-income pilots, and connections to wraparound services. Since founding it has supported more than 260,000 children and families, operating with a small staff of 1-10 employees.

Its core offerings span direct-service programs (the Cash Plus Care / Youth Cash Transfer Program co-created with East Palo Alto students and families, and Project Empower, a guaranteed-income pilot co-created with Tahirih Justice Center for immigrant survivors), policy and education products (the Safety Net Simulator interactive web tool and the mBOLDen Action public-education platform), and capacity-building partnerships with values-aligned nonprofits such as The.Circuit EPA and ONGB. The Safety Net Simulator models household-level tradeoffs when federal programs (SNAP, Medicaid, housing, tax credits) are cut or restricted.

The organization is funded through donations, foundation grants, and a Zeffy peer-to-peer donation platform; all services are provided free of charge. In May 2025 it rebranded from My New Red Shoes to mBOLDen Change to reflect an expanded mission that combines meeting urgent needs with systems-change advocacy. Leadership consists of Board Chair and Executive Director Minh Ngo, Board Secretary & Treasurer Catt Olazabal, and board members Annie Hockey and Mandy Montoya.

Name

My New Red Shoes

Legal name

mBOLDen Change

Website

https://mynewredshoes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

My New Red Shoes, now operating as mBOLDen Change, is a Palo Alto-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing cash assistance, guaranteed-income pilots, and policy-education tools to children, families, and immigrant survivors experiencing poverty in California.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Redwood City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 20-4683289) that relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and supporters. Donations are accepted through platforms like Zeffy.
2. Direct Support Programs: Provides direct cash assistance, guaranteed income programs, in-kind support (clothing, shoes), and connections to wraparound services for children and families experiencing poverty.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

My New Red Shoes (rebranded to mBOLDen Change in 2025) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides direct cash assistance, in-kind support (new shoes and clothing), and guaranteed income programs to children and families experiencing poverty. The organization also develops interactive tools such as the Safety Net Simulator to help families navigate public benefits and runs advocacy campaigns to strengthen the economic safety net.

Product overview

My New Red Shoes (now mBOLDen Change) operates as a platform of interconnected programs and tools rather than a single unified product. Core offerings include the Safety Net Simulator (an interactive web-based policy simulation tool), the Youth Cash Transfer Program (a cash-plus-care guaranteed income initiative for youth), Project Empower (guaranteed income for immigrant survivors), and mBOLDen Action (a public education platform). The organization also provides an Employer Immigrant Worker Protection Toolkit as a downloadable resource. These offerings work together to advance the organization's mission of dismantling barriers and closing equity gaps through direct financial assistance, advocacy, and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• mBOLDen Action: Public education platform dedicated to shining a light on the systemic forces that shape daily life. First campaign: 'This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things' focusing on the affordability crisis.

Products and services

• Safety Net Simulator An interactive web-based tool that helps low-income families and individuals understand their eligibility for public benefits and navigate the social safety net. Designed for direct use by beneficiaries as well as case managers and partner organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported more than 260,000 children and families since founding in 2006
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tahirih Justice CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborated on the Project Empower Guaranteed Income Pilot report published February 2023, focused on uplifting immigrant survivors through guaranteed income assistance.
• The.Circuit EPAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022mBOLDen Change partnered with The.Circuit EPA from its early stages as an unproven idea. They provided not just funds but partnership, helping sharpen strategy, connect dots, and work alongside the organization to launch their Immersive Learning Project for East Palo Alto students.
• ONGBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016ONGB (Our Nation's Grieving Black families) received support from mBOLDen Change starting with attendance initiatives and evolved to receiving valuable training and strategic guidance. mBOLDen Change has provided unwavering commitment to helping ONGB grow, evolve, and thrive.
• East Palo Alto CommunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-created the Cash Plus Care pilot program with high school students and their families in East Palo Alto in 2022. Community members were given voice in designing the program itself.
• Program Evaluation & InsightminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent evaluator for the Youth Cash Transfer Program, conducting rigorous evaluation to understand what made the Cash Plus Care pilot program successful.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• PolicyLink: National research and advocacy organization advancing racial and economic equity through policy change. Highly comparable to mBOLDen Change's mBOLDen Action campaign and Safety Net Simulator advocacy work.
• Family Independence Initiative: National nonprofit that provides direct cash and capacity-building support to families, with a trust-based, community-led model closely aligned with mBOLDen Change's Cash Plus Care and East Palo Alto work.
• GiveDirectly: Nonprofit that sends direct cash transfers to people in poverty, with rigorous evidence on impact. Closest comparable to mBOLDen Change's cash-assistance and guaranteed-income programs and serves as a benchmark for the cash-transfer model.
• Springboard To Opportunities: Runs the Magnolia Mother's Trust guaranteed-income program for mothers in subsidized housing in Jackson, MS. Directly comparable as a nonprofit piloting guaranteed-income models for vulnerable populations in the U.S.

Broad incumbents

• Robin Hood Foundation: One of the largest U.S. poverty-fighting nonprofits, funding direct services, advocacy, and capacity building in NYC. Comparable as a broader incumbent pursuing the same direct-cash-plus-systems-change strategy at much larger scale.
• Annie E. Casey Foundation: Major private foundation focused on children and families in poverty, funding both direct programs and systemic reform. Comparable as a large, established funder operating across the same children-and-families-in-poverty space.

Regional players

• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Large community foundation based in the same Silicon Valley geography as mBOLDen Change, funding poverty alleviation, immigrant services, and equity work. Comparable as a regional incumbent operating in the same donor and partner ecosystem.
• East Bay Community Foundation: Bay Area community foundation supporting equity, economic security, and capacity-building for local nonprofits. Comparable as a regional peer funding many of the same communities and partner types mBOLDen Change serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mynewredshoes
• Facebookfacebook.com/mynewredshoes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/my-new-red-shoes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about My New Red Shoes