I wanted to spend a lot of time with our kids. I'm having an impact in a different way. In 1984 in Washington, Tipper and her children spotted a homeless woman and the children asked if they could take the woman home because she looked so terrible. The incident sparked a commitment to volunteer in homeless shelters. Tipper also began organizing a group called Families for the Homeless, a group dedicated to raising money and attention to the issue.
Tipper is also an advocate of mental health care for children and adults.
She took the music industry to task for glamorizing sex and violence in material targeted to kids. She also wrote a book, Raising PG Kids in an X-rated Society. Tipper was attacked by many in the music industry who perceived her campaign as a form of censorship. In 1989, her youngest child, Albert was struck by a car and almost killed as he and his father were returning from an Orioles game. The experience of Albert's injury was a crucible that altered their lives.