Benchmark Makes Over 100 Little Red Hats for Local Babies

Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) are the most common type of birth defect in the country, and every year thousands of babies are born with this life-threatening condition.

To help raise awareness for CHD during February’s American Heart Month and support affected families with newborns at local hospitals, Benchmark Senior Living at Woburn, an assisted living community in Woburn, Mass., has knit 129 red hats for the American Heart Association’s (AHA) annual Little Hats, Big Hearts campaign.

As an extension of their mission to elevate human connection and provide support for people of all ages in the towns and neighborhoods they serve, Benchmark residents, associates and volunteers have been knitting tiny red hats since late January. The hats will warm the heads of newborns at Massachusetts hospitals. Nine hospitals in Massachusetts participate in the campaign, including Brigham & Women’s and Beth Israel.

On February 18, Benchmark residents Jeanne Campbell and Fran Quackenbush joined Programming Director, Suzy Hicks, Resident Care Director, Barbara Callahan, 13-year-old Hannah Bilowz, who takes piano lessons from a resident, and several friends of the community, including Barbara Bell, Carole d’Entremont, Lee Desimone, Mal Gately and Carol Skilling to complete the hats.

“At Benchmark we believe that we are better together and we want parents to know they aren’t alone in this fight,” says John Quevillon, executive director of Benchmark Senior Living at Woburn. “It’s a small gesture to show we’re thinking about them, and we hope that will give them strength.”

Many of Benchmark’s 58 independent living, assisted living and memory care communities located throughout the Northeast are participating in the campaign in hopes of donating more than 1,000 hats to the cause.

AHA is committed to raising awareness for CHD and helping children live stronger lives through education, research and public policies. In fact, the organization’s funding for pediatric cardiac research is second only to that of the federal government. The AHA also trains parents, caregivers and medical professionals in infant and child CPR for which has created guidelines.

“Heart-related conditions impact so many of our beloved residents, so it’s important to us to support the good work of organizations like the American Heart Association,” says Tom Grape, chairman and CEO of Benchmark. “Whether it’s our continued sponsorship of the annual Heart Ball or participating in campaigns like Little Hats, Big Hearts, we are delighted to support such an important cause affecting so many.”