There’s a chill in the air and it’s the perfect time to get cozy with crafting!
We are happy to announce that our Little Hats Big Hearts program is already up and running here in Rhode Island and Southern New England.
Volunteers from around the country are helping the American Heart Association in connection with the Children’s Heart Foundation celebrate American Heart Month. How? By knitting and crocheting adorable red hats for babies born in February at participating hospitals.
Little Hats, Big Hearts™, honors babies and moms in a very special way. These tiny red hats, on thousands of babies, symbolize our shared mission of heart-healthy lives for everyone. The effort also raises awareness of congenital heart defects, and what we can all do to help prevent them.
Did you know? Little Hats, Big Hearts™ started in Chicago in 2014. From just 300 little hats in the first year, the program has now embraced hundreds of thousands of babies, across more than 40 states.
How You Can Help
The response to Little Hats, Big Hearts™ has been amazing. We received more than 200,000 hats for distribution in 2018.
Check this page in the fall to learn how you can use your skills to help the littlest hearts, in celebration of American Heart Month the following February.
Want to help now? You can still make an impact by making a donation . Or learn more about participating in a local Heart Walk.
We will be accepting donations of hats here at our Providence office until December 10, 2018. The address here is One State Street, Suite 200, Providence, RI 02908.
Before you drop hats off, please email Communications Director Jennifer Bray ([email protected]) to make arrangements for a drop-off time so someone can be at the office to accept them. You can also call her at 401-228-2324.
We’d love to get some video and photos of you and your group taking part in Little Hats, Big Hearts and then post it to our social media pages. Please email again to [email protected] We can’t promise that everyone’s photos and videos will be published, but we will try to get as many posted as possible!
Please see this link for guidelines – www.heart.org/littlehatsbighearts.
They are also listed here –
Quick FAQs for Little Hats, Big HeartsTM
1. I want to knit/crochet hats, how do I get started?
We ask that they be made with red medium or heavy weight acrylic or cotton yarn so that they can be machine washed and dried. Use your favorite pattern, or there are a few patterns available on our website at www.heart.org/littlehatsbighearts. As for sizes, most are preemie or newborn, but since babies come in all sizes, we take them starting at micro-preemie and going up to larger sizes as well.
2. How many hats should I knit?
Please knit or crochet as many hats as you want to create. We are constantly expanding to more hospitals and need many, many hats to meet our need.
3. Can yarn other than red be used? How about hats made from other materials?
The yarn needs to be red (or red dominant if variegated) and either cotton or acrylic.
4. I’ve knitted some hats, where do I send my donation?
Please find your nearest office by visiting our website.
5. Why do I need to send my hats to that location? What if I want to deliver my hats personally?
We ask that all hats go through us so that they can be accounted for and so that we can make sure we meet the needs of all the hospitals that request hats throughout the state. We are constantly growing our program, so we need all the hats that we can get! Additionally, it is important that hats are sent to our staff so that they can be properly washed, packaged, and be paired with educational materials for the new parents.
6. I want my hats to go to my local hospital. Is that possible?
We work very hard to keep the hats donated from one area of the state in hospitals in that area. Occasionally, if you are in an area where we have a lot of knitters, some of your hats may end up at a hospital that has less knitters in their area. Also, some hospitals are not currently participating in the program—if your local hospital isn’t participating we will work hard to get your hats into the next closest hospital.
7. How do I donate money to the American Heart Association?
Please visit https://donatenow.heart.org/ or text HAT to 41444.
8. What if my state or local office is not participating in the program?
Please find any participating office by visiting our website. Heart health knows no boundaries!
9. I am live in a country outside of the U.S., where do I send the hats?
Please contact us at [email protected] for more information