‘Little Heads, Big Hearts’ collecting handmade red hats

If you can knit or crochet, you can help empower moms and their newborns to live heart-healthy lives with a warm, handmade red beanie.

These donated, red hats will top the heads of newborn babies born in February at hospitals across the nation, including in Wichita, as part of “Little Hats, Big Hearts.” The Little Hats, Big Hearts program raises awareness of heart disease and congenital heart defects during February, American Heart Month.

The American Heart Association is collecting newborn-sized hats made of red yarn to provide to these February-born babies. The yarn should be cotton or acrylic, medium to heavy weight, machine washable and dryable. While the association loves bows and buttons, they require simple hats with nothing attached that a baby could choke on.

If you need a pattern to use, free ones are available at www.heart.org/LittleHatsBigHearts. If you cannot knot or crochet, they will also accept donations of red yarn.

Donations will be accepted until Dec. 22 and can be mailed or dropped off at 1861 N. Rock Rd. Ste. 380, Wichita, KS 67206.

The red hats will be washed and cleaned before they are presented to newborns at these Kansas hospitals in February:

▪ Via Christi Health, Wichita

▪ Wesley Medical Center, Wichita

▪ Hutchinson Regional Healthcare, Hutchinson

▪ Hays Medical Center, Hays

▪ Newman Regional Health, Emporia

▪ Newton Medical, Newton

▪ Via Christi Health, Pittsburg

▪ Geary Community Hospital, Junction City

▪ Coffeyville Regional Medical Center, Coffeyville

▪ Labette Health, Parsons

Last year, 1,600 red hats were distributed to newborns across Kansas – about 700 hats went to babies in Wichita.

This story was originally published October 26, 2017 at 4:08 PM with the headline "‘Little Heads, Big Hearts’ collecting handmade red hats."