A warm blanket, a toy, clothing, items to clean yourself and your children with – all left in a place where you are now safe, when not long before, you were anything but.
Every battered women’s shelter across the state of Utah receives kits from a Utah County organization that began when women used their time and talents to “knit” the broken hearts of those in need. The organization is called Hearts Knit Together, and it is led by executive director April James of Mapleton, who is carrying on the legacy of her late mother Linda Simmons. James said that it all began with the desire to help others in need, and over the past 18 years, it has grown with that goal magnified.
“In 2007, my parents were serving an inner city service mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they were assigned to serve in a low income housing building that had a branch of mostly widows,” James recalled. “The women were all in their 80s or older, and even though they themselves lived below the poverty level, they knew that service was so good for the soul. So they decided that they wanted to do some service and since they didn’t have much money, and some of them knew how to knit and crochet, they decided they would teach everybody in the branch how to knit and crochet. Their goal that first year was to make 50 sets of hats and scarves to give to the homeless in Salt Lake City.”
James further explained that her mom gathered yarn donations as well as hygiene items to go along with the knitted hats and scarves to assist them in meeting their goal of 50. With all the support of their local church community and hearts (and hands) “knit together,” they blew past their goal of 50 and ended up doing 100 sets that year.
“After that, they were hooked and they asked my mom if she would be their official leader and help them get donations because they knew they wanted to do more,” James explained.
The next year, the group decided to shift their focus to the domestic violence (YWCA) shelter in downtown Salt Lake City.
“When they decided they would give to the YWCA they decided to do full-size hygiene kits and they also needed to get donations for books and toys and blankets and things for kids,” James explained. My mom, who was a mother of 10 and used to pinching pennies and finding deals, would go buy things on sale and get coupons from all of her neighbors and then she would have a yard sale and sell it all. She would use that money to buy the hygiene items and the stuff that they needed, as well as taking donations. And so for years, that’s how it ran. It was her being scrappy and them being scrappy and all of them just pitching in and doing what they could.”
By that second year, the little organization of heart-filled women, doubled the amount that they had planned, providing close to 300 kits to women and children in need. The organization that soon became known as Hearts Knit Together, grew so much that it needed an official space to receive donations and assemble kits. It has also expanded to serve victims of sexual assault and refugees along with victims of domestic violence.
“We now serve all of the domestic violence shelters, as well as many other agencies,” James said. “We have close to 40 agencies that have been approved for services from us. They just order whenever they need it, and we provide it for free to them. It’s pretty amazing. We’ve given over 75,000 kits now throughout the whole state of Utah.”
One of the agencies Hearts Knit Together donates to is Canyon Creek Services in Cedar City. Executive Director at Canyon Creek Services, Kaitlin Sorensen said that Hearts Knit Together “is one of the most amazing places ever.” Sorensen and her team shared what the organization has meant to them and those they serve with Serve Daily.
“One of the most memorable moments I’ve had working at the shelter was when I gave a child their welcome kit. The first thing they said was, ‘I’ve never had my own toys or blanket before.’ Often I see the welcome kit being the first access clients have to hygiene products. These kids make an incredible difference in the lives of every person who receives one. I truly believe no one can measure the good these welcome kits have brought to our community.
~ Keri Simmons
“I have had mothers tell me their children had not let go of their stuffed animals since they first saw them and took them everywhere.They truly do get emotional and it makes the stay feel more like home with such a welcoming gift. I know I even get a little bit emotional when placing them on the beds, putting myself in their shoes for when they will see them. (The kids are) one of the first things I tell our volunteers and interns about when they ask about our process.”
~ Courtney Hall
“From a staff perspective, I often see a lot of gratitude and relief from clients when they show up without any of their belongings. It’s also a really good way to establish rapport by setting the tone that we are here to help them with their needs. From a survivor perspective, the welcome kids are everything. We are already feeling unsafe in your own home doing things like showering and sleeping can be extra difficult because those are naturally vulnerable positions to be in. Finally getting to a safe place, and then getting a pillow and stuff to clean yourself with is the first step to healing. The welcome kits are often survivors first access to self-care after whatever it was they went through. I’m a huge fan.
~Anonymous
James expressed her gratitude for being able to play what she describes as a small role in assisting these women and children in need.
“Statistically they say that 1 in 3 women in the state of Utah will experience domestic violence in her lifetime,” James said. “The reality is, we’re only serving a fraction of those because we’re only serving the ones who go to get help, and there are a lot of women who don’t do that. It’s good that we can at least do something to help them on their journey.”
Carrying the torch and expanding to serve more in need
In 2022, Jame’s mother Linda Simmons passed away following complications resulting from a stroke. James said that she wants to carry on with what her mother did, and expand the reach to help as many people in need as possible. Over the past few years, Hearts Knit Together has donated a large portion of its kits to refugees in Utah.
“We work with all of the main resettlement agencies in the state,” she said. “We work with Catholic Community Services, Lifting Hands International and Asian Association of Utah. A large majority of refugees who come into the state of Utah through the system and who are coming with a visa … through the system, will receive one of our kits. We’ve been giving to the Workforce Services refugee service program for about a decade now, and we give 180 kits every month to them.”
As Hearts Knit Together grows, James says she often thinks back on how it all began as a way to both stay tied to its humble beginnings and show others what’s possible with serving others remains the goal.
“I always just talk about these women who started this and never imagined in their wildest dreams that it would turn into what it has,” James said. “Our goal is that everyone who receives a kit feels wrapped in love. We want to give them hope – especially the women in the domestic violence shelters. Very often they run in the middle of the night and they’re wearing nothing but pajamas and their kids have nothing with them. It’s scary and our goal is to help those in need to feel like they’re capable of moving forward and that they’re going to be OK.”
Hearts Knit Together operates entirely on donations through its website, HeartsKnitTogether.org, or item donations can be received Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Project Room Location in Lindon at 154 S 1800 W. Youth and volunteers are also welcome and encouraged to reach out for a time to serve.
