About us
Heart in Hand was founded in 2025 at Westridge School, an all-girls independent school in Pasadena, California. What started as a small group of passionate students has grown into a thriving initiative making a real difference in our community.
Our founders recognized two critical needs: children lacking accessible, engaging health education, and hospitalized patients experiencing isolation and discomfort during their stays. We asked ourselves a simple question: What if students could be the solution?
From this question, Heart in Hand was born: a project entirely conceived, led, and executed by students who believe that young people have the power to create meaningful change.
Today, we've grown from a handful of students to a dedicated team working across multiple schools and organizations. We've delivered more than 600 care kits, reached more than 1,000 children, and proven that student leadership can make a tangible impact in healthcare and education.
Heart in Hand was created from the simple realization that students have the passion, creativity, and dedication to address real community needs. We saw children struggling to understand their health and patients facing hospital stays without adequate comfort or support. We knew we could help.
We don't give lectures. Instead, our workshops transform health education into something children actually remember and apply, using hands-on activities and demonstrations that make learning about health exciting and memorable.
Every care kit we assemble is thoughtfully curated with items chosen to bring comfort during difficult times. Kits also include handwritten notes and gifts from the children we work with, because we believe personal connections matter.
Our student organizers manage budgets, coordinate with partner organizations, plan curricula, and make real decisions that affect our community. We're proving that young people don't need to wait until adulthood to make meaningful contributions.
Students lead every initiative, from conception to completion.
Most student initiatives operate with adult oversight at every step. Heart in Hand flips that model. We're grateful for the support of faculty advisors and partner organizations, but the work itself is ours.
When we design a health workshop, students do the research, develop the curriculum, create the materials, and deliver the lessons. When we assemble care kits, students manage the inventory and budgets, coordinate with healthcare facilities, and personally deliver each kit.
This approach means our programs reflect what students actually believe will make a difference. It also means every member of our team develops real-world skills in project management, community partnership, and nonprofit operations.
