Stamford Charity Sells 100 Handmade Hearts To Build Homes

Information via Thon Met African Peace Foundation

STAMFORD, CT — A local non-profit has launched the first Hearts for Huts holiday campaign, selling handmade ornaments to raise money for refugees through Thon Met African Peace Foundation ("Thon Met"), headquartered in Stamford.

Marisa Rothstein and her 6-year-old daughter, Sydney Robinson, are embroidering 100 felt hearts that they hope to sell before Christmas, according to a news release.

Why the 100-heart goal? Nya Chambang, founder and Executive Director of Thon Met, and long-time Stamford resident, explains.

"Over the past decade, we have built 16 homes in our safe village in Ethiopia for refugees of South Sudan, including 36 children," Chambang said in a news release. "We depend on our annual Gala as the primary fundraiser, providing funds to build new huts, transport families safely to the village, and purchase farm animals for the community, among much else. Because of COVID-19, we could not host our annual event; to build a new hut for a waiting family—indeed, to even sustain needed medical care and education for our current 48 residents—we hope to raise $5,000 (about 100 hearts) through our Hearts for Huts campaign."

Rothstein, Hearts for Huts team-mom and long-time Thon Met volunteer, hopes the Columbia County community will merrily decorate their homes with charity hearts this season to support the local initiative.

"I can think of no more direct way to change a person's life than through Thon Met," Rothsteinsaid in a news release. "Donations are used to build homes for refugees who have spent years without them, women and children who are desperate for a safe, stable environment, where they can begin to heal, learn, and plan for their futures. We're making hearts to build homes for refugees abroad and to bring cheer to homes here, as we could all use a little extra joy this season."

And from Sydney, Rothstein's 6-year-old helper, "I'd like to see happy people in the world, where everybody has the things that they need. I hope our hearts help."

Further information can be found at www.thonmetpeace.org.