Deborah Koenigsberger had no plans to start a non-profit. As the owner of Noir et Blanc, an upscale, French-themed, womenās clothing boutique on West 23rd Street, she had enough on her plate. On her way to work every day, she would cross Madison Square Park and encounter the same young homeless woman and her three-year-old daughter sleeping there. Deb learned that the woman had faced abuse in the shelter system and had decided to ātake her chances outside. ā Over time, she would bring them food, until suddenly, they were gone. Deb was so impacted by the experience, combined with the words of a Stevie Wonder song, āTake the Time Out, ā that she felt compelled to āhelp homeless mothers and their children reimagine their lives. ā Even though that young woman physically left, Deb says, āShe motivates me every day to keep going. ā Thus, Hearts of Gold (HoG) was born with a mission of enabling homeless mothers and their children to āreclaim their lives, transition out of the shelter system, and become self-sufficient. ā In 2010, Deb opened the thrifty HoG on West 25th Street. A year later, she moved Noir et Blanc to a retail space a few doors down. The beautifully curated resale shop sells vintage, new, and gently used clothing for men and women, as well as small decor items, bric-a-brac, and home goods that are āconsignment quality at thrift prices. ā In Debās words, āIf I wouldnāt buy it and wear it, Iām not selling it. āThe mothers in need who work at the thrifty HoG earn a living wage, acquire job skills, and undergo training through HoGās Earn As You Learn Program. All net proceeds from sales at the shop pay the moms and fund programs and services that support the women and children. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while everyone was sheltering at home, Deb never stopped. She worked every day to fundraise, purchase, and deliver essential health supplies, food, and other necessities to the moms and kids in the shelters. Over the course of 2020, Deb distributed more than 2, 000 meals and emergency care packages, proving her dedication to her non-profitās overarching goal: āHoG exists to make these womenās and childrenās lives the best they can be and to help them retake control over their own stories. ā