Kathleen Jensen + The Little Heart Project

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In stores, parks, and restaurants all over the world, little hearts – smaller than the palm of your hand – are spreading positivity. Crocheted with love in all sorts of colors, the hearts are affixed with tags sending messages of hope and light to all who encounter them. 

These tiny reminders of good are made through The Little Heart Project (TLHP). The project’s creator, Kathleen Jensen, says they’re a “soft entry point” to making a difference in the world.

“At a base level, it is a random act of kindness,” explains Kathleen. But the larger mission of TLHP goes deeper. “We are trying to reduce the stigma around mental health and hopefully prevent suicides.”

This mission statement, “Preventing suicide one heart at a time through serendipitous words of encouragement,” is near to Kathleen’s own heart, as she herself was suicidal every day for eight years. The idea came out of a conversation with her therapist, who knew Kathleen enjoyed crocheting and making art, and mentioned a similar project in Texas, suggesting it might be something Kathleen would enjoy doing in her own community of Onalaska, Wisconsin. 

She had no idea that, now, almost three years later, TLHP would reach people all over the world. But that is exactly what happened. TLHP hearts have been found in 35 states as well as Canada, Central America, Europe, India, and Africa. 

Although she still faces her own mental health challenges, The Little Heart Project has given Kathleen something incredible. “I found my people,” she shares. “What a beautiful, beautiful gift. For so long I lived in a very, very dark world – alone, isolated, very sick. And when I started doing this, I met the most incredible people who want to make this world good.” 

The success of TLHP is one example of how social media can create positivity in the world. Communities of Facebook crochet groups rapidly spread the word about the project. Soon there was a website (thelittleheartproject.org) and social media accounts, and hearts being distributed near and far. 

Kathleen utilizes local groups for help, too. “I have some very faithful crocheters in the La Crosse area who make the hearts for us,” says Kathleen. Students at UW-La Crosse, Viterbo, and Western Technical College have also chipped in, crocheting hearts or tying on inspiring tags. And Kathleen shares the heart template on her website so others can easily contribute as well. It takes only three yards of yarn and, once you know how to do it, less than three minutes to make a heart. Those who help aren’t required to track their inventory, so it’s hard to say how many hearts, in total, have been made since TLHP started. Kathleen does know, though, that 88,000 hearts (and more every day) have made their way out the door of her own home and into the community. 

“I’ve found that people who have lost a loved one to suicide desperately want to do something to help prevent this happening to the next family,” she says. “TLHP has become part of so many people’s healing journey.” She finds it fulfills a need to do something tangible during grief. Plus, there’s no wrong way to participate. “You can leave the hearts anywhere you go. There’s no wrong way to do this,” says Kathleen.

This assistance keeps TLHP going, but it also facilitates important discussions and opportunities for the community to talk about suicide. Kathleen’s position as The Little Heart Project founder has enabled her to speak publicly about suicide in an effort to reduce the shame and stigma around suicide and build support for the project.

“When I first started, I had no intention of speaking to anyone ever about this,” she says. “But when people are brave enough to talk about their mental illness, that lets other people know it’s safe to do the same thing.” From the first time she spoke, Kathleen has seen the benefit of sharing her words and her heart. After speaking to a group at Viterbo, a young lady pulled her aside. “She said, ‘I just wanted to tell you that last night I almost killed myself.’ And she pulls up her sleeves to show me dozens of fresh cuts up and down both arms. And then she said, ‘Being here today and listening to your story, being able to talk to you, I feel better.’” 

Kathleen has folks lining up to share similar stories after each of her speaking engagements. “My degree is in marketing. It’s not like I’m trained in any of this to be able to hear these really, really sad stories,” she says. She holds space for this, though, because she sees the positive impact it has on herself and others.

“It’s helping to take away the shame. Suicide is not a shameful thing. The people that die by suicide, it’s a very dark, lonely place where there is no hope, and you can’t envision there ever being any.” One way she addresses this is to encourage people to say, “died by suicide” rather than “committed suicide.” She explains, “People commit a crime, people commit adultery. People who die by suicide are not criminals. They’re sick.” She also works tirelessly to convey the messages that “talking about suicide does not cause suicide. Hopelessness causes suicide.”

Kathleen has a full-time job, in addition to the time and energy she puts into The Little Heart Project. It is truly a labor of love, fueled by donations and volunteers and the kindness of strangers. She is grateful for everyone who contributes – whether by putting hearts out in their businesses, assisting with TLHP’s web presence, or giving the project exposure at events. 

Requests flood Kathleen’s inbox, often the effect of one person seeing a heart and looking for a way to get involved. She recently fielded an email request for hearts from a director of disaster relief, looking to support those devastated by the hurricanes that hit North Caroline and Tennessee in the fall of 2024. The Little Heart Project sent out 600 hearts. “How do we help those people who now have nothing?” asks Kathleen. “These hearts aren’t going to fix anything, but it will let people know that other people are thinking of them.” 

Positive momentum continues to build. Kathleen had the opportunity to share her mission through PBS Wisconsin’s show, “Wisconsin Life.” The episode featuring Kathleen and TLHP airs January 2, 2025, at 7 pm. She was nominated for the Hometown Hero award by Wisconsin State Representative, Steve Doyle, and the Hometown Hero committee in Madison selected her. This gave her the opportunity to speak about her work to the entire assembly. Governor Tony Evers got word and invited her to chat about TLHP and mental health in the state, as well.

 “It does take a lot of courage to stand up in front of a group of people and talk about all of this, but I know it helps. I have two-and-a-half years of proof. I know now it helps and that’s what I’m going to do – help people.” 

Sara Walters

Sara Walters is a mom and a writer. She has been an Inspire(d) contributor since 2018.