Hooks and Hearts is a student-run nonprofit organization that donates various handmade plushies to kids in traumatic situations. Each item is lovingly knit or crocheted by student volunteers, offering warmth and comfort and a message of care and love from our community.

Amid trauma, children often lose their sense of safety, comfort, and control. Whether they’re fleeing a crisis, navigating foster care, or recovering from a personal tragedy, these young lives are turned upside down, often with little notice or explanation. 

A stuffed animal may seem small, but to a child in distress, it can mean everything. It’s a companion during ambulance rides, a quiet comfort in courtrooms, a sense of home in a shelter. Soft, cuddly, and constant, stuffed animals are more than toys. They’re tangible symbols of care, love, and resilience. 

Our goal is simple: to give every child going through something hard something to hold onto. 

Hooks for Hearts hopes to bridge the gap between fiber artists and a community that can appreciate their art. Our organization hopes to bring hope, comfort, and human connection to anyone who feels alone through the donation of handmade stuffed animals to those suffering through turbulent times.