The Peyton Heart Project: Knit for Charity and Fight Bullying and Suicide
Read about this simple project designed to help prevent suicide
Read about this simple project designed to help prevent suicideI discovered the Peyton Heart Project one day while I was visiting the page for Emily’s Hats for Hope. I was quite touched by it, and I wanted to share it with you all.
The Peyton Heart Project (or PHP) is one of a number of initiatives launched by the Sidewalk Smiles Campaign, which itself was launched by a teenaged girl named Julia. PHP was started by Julia’s mother, Jill Kubin.
PHP was named after a specific individual, a 13-year-old boy named Peyton James who committed suicide after years of bullying. This project involves creating hearts and attaching them to encouraging messages, in hope that it inspires those who find the hearts to contemplate the preciousness of life and the hope of a brighter future. A file with these encouraging messages can be downloaded from their website.
How You Can Help
This is one of the simplest, yet perhaps one of the more profound, ways you could possibly knit for charity. All you have to do is knit hearts! If you have lots of small amounts of yarn, this is a fantastic way to use them.
Below are links to free heart knitting patterns. Of course, if you already have your own special way of knitting hearts, feel free to use it!
Ready for Another Heart Pattern
Simple Valentine Heart Pattern
Knit as many as you can, and then you can do one of two things. You can send the hearts to the Sidewalk Smiles Campaign, at the below address:
The Sidewalk Smiles Campaign
ATTN. Peyton Heart Project
P.O. Box 2374
Morristown, NJ 07962-2374
Or, if you’d like to make and scatter hearts for the Peyton Heart Project in your own area please go to their website to read their guidelines. If you have questions, you can email them at [email protected]
For more information about the Peyton Heart Project, and to see photos of the many hearts that have already started working their way around the United States, check out their Facebook page or their website.
This is a simple yet profound way to help fight bullying and suicide. It’s also an incredible way to help all of us remember the beauty inside each human life. What an amazing way to knit for charity!