Girl Scouts donate over 100 ‘Hearts of Hope’ to Newton Medical Center
Sparta. Lenape Valley Girl Scouts and Book Club Girls Sparta donated over 100 handmade “Hearts of Hope” to Atlantic Health Newton Medical Center to inspire hope and healing for patients and staff.
Sparta /
| 14 Nov 2025 | 12:27
From left, Stephen Flynn, Donor Relations Manager, Newton Medical Center Foundation; Kaylin Botha; Gabby Dan; Theresa Jennings; Megan Sandow, Chief Development Officer, Newton Medical Center Foundation and Sophia Dan.
Sophia Dan and Brooke Roth
More than 100 “Hearts of Hope” were donated to Atlantic Health Newton Medical Center by members of Lenape Valley Girl Scouts and the Book Club Girls of Sparta.
The handmade ceramic hearts, each unique and painted by participants of all ages, will be distributed to patients and staff to encourage hope and healing. Hearts of Hope, a nonprofit founded after the Sept. 11 attacks, aims to provide comfort to both the creators and recipients of the hearts.
Sophia Dan and her sister Girl Scouts from Troop 418, who graduated high school in 2020, organized community “paint with a purpose” events and have helped send more than 1,000 hearts across the United States. Dan, now a registered nurse at Newton Medical Center, said the project represents a full-circle journey from Girl Scout to hospital staff.
“Through acts of service to others, we give the ultimate gift to our community: hope,” Dan said.
For more information or to order a Hearts of Hope kit, visit www.ourheartsofhope.org.
