1000 Hearts is a global kindness community which started in 2016 from a random act of kindness...
I started making hearts because I was tired of feeling helpless in the face of pain and grief. I wanted to bring some comfort and hope to people who were struggling.
When I began 1000 Hearts, I hand-stitched one thousand pocket hearts to give away at no cost to anyone who requested them.
1000 Hearts exists to make people happier and healthier by sharing kindness in a simple and tangible way. We make and share pocket hearts that people can hold onto as a reminder that someone cares.
The Science and the Magic
1000 Hearts is embedded in powerful scientific evidence showing the mental and physical health benefits of kindness, community and hand-stitching. Making and sharing hearts are simple ways of showing compassion.
In Australia, around 43% of people have experienced a mental illness, 33% experience loneliness and nine die by suicide every day. These are not just numbers - they are distressed, isolated and struggling people.
Through the simple language of pocket hearts, we provide a way to make kindness part of your daily practice.
The beginning...
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Once I had completed my first 1000 hearts, I sent packets of hearts to the 76 people who volunteered to share them in their communities. Very quickly, I started getting messages from people who received them, and was touched to realise the power of kindness in action. People told me that they carried my heart as a talisman of love, courage, hope and comfort. In many cases, people expressed that carrying a heart helped them to deal with anxiety, grief, depression and separation from loved ones. There were so many beautiful stories, I knew something special was happening.
Many people asked me for additional hearts to share, and a lot of people wanted to make hearts themselves, using the same size and shape I had created. A community started to grow from my small act of love; a community where kindness and connection are valued and hearts are healed.
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Since the project started, I’ve made many thousands of hearts and many others have joined in, creating a global network of “heartists” committed to spreading kindness. Together, we have offered hearts to people struggling with a wide variety of challenges like loneliness, mental illness, sickness and bereavement. We have sent hearts to places impacted by violence, natural disasters and acts of terrorism. We have also offered thousands of hearts to charities, services and individuals who need a bit of love.
Here at 1000 Hearts, we believe that kindness can change the world. If you believe in the power of love and compassion, you’re in good company
here.
How it grew
When I first started 1000 Hearts in 2016, I made all the hearts myself and sent them out at no cost to anyone who requested them. I funded this through my day job and some small donations from kind members of the hearts community.
When others started wanting to make hearts, I shared the original template and in 2018, set up an Etsy shop to sell kits and hearts. Earnings from the shop funded the increasing amount of hearts I was giving out all over the place.
As the community and project grew, I continued to work in non-profit organisations and ran 1000 Hearts before and after work and on weekends. Over time, this became less and less sustainable and in January 2024, I took a massive leap of faith and left my role as Director in a local cancer charity to focus full-time on building 1000 Hearts as a thriving social enterprise.
Media
Story is powerful and since 1000 Hearts began, people have wanted to hear and share ours...you can read/watch by clicking on each title.
Magazine & Newspaper Articles
May 2019 - The Mercury Tas Weekend
September 2024 - Riverine Herald
November 2024 - Sunday Tasmanian
Online
Important Stuff
Please be kind to our planet, too. I ask you to help me keep 1000 Hearts eco-friendly by using natural fibres, biodegradable cellophane for wrapping and minimising waste. Please consider your impact on the environment when you make and share our hearts. It's fine to reuse, reduce and recycle in your heart-making practice, too.
Shipping information: I dispatch orders regularly, but if you need something urgently, please email me with details, so I can help. If I'm away or unwell, your order will be dispatched when I get back on deck - please allow time for processing. I offer a flat rate on international shipping, so the cost doesn't increase with the size of your order (tip - it's more economical to do one big order than several small ones!) Free shipping on orders over $100 currently only applies within Australia.
Photo: Nikala Bourke
