At the heart of Stephens Funeral Home is a compassionate family with a strong commitment to the community it serves.

Hearts of Hope is a nationwide group of volunteers organized to create and distribute beautiful messages across the country.

Recently, Stephens, 274 N. Krocks Road, Upper Macungie, teamed up with Hearts of Hope to host “Painting with a Purpose,” a community heart-making affair.

Dozens of people attended the free event for an hour of decorating beautifully individualized small clay hearts and writing hopeful messages to share with the strangers who would soon receive them.

Matthew Stephens, supervisor of Stephens Funeral Home, and several of his family members and friends painted hearts with members of the community.

“We really enjoy bringing people together for special community events,” said Stephens.

“It is our way of helping to pay it forward.”

“We all have some blessing for which we should give thanks,” said Grace, a resident at Country Meadows, who painted a yellow heart decorated with tiny little birdhouses.

Grace and the others painted one heart to keep for themselves and another heart with a card and message that would be sent to patients at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“Creating hope … one heart at a time,” is the mission of Hearts of Hope.

“The hearts provide hope during times of grief, loss and trauma,” said Hearts of Hope Founder Judith Pederson of Newtown,

The organization, founded in the wake of 9/11 has distributed more than 66,000 hearts to date.

From hospitals and military bases to communities in the aftermath of tragedies like Sandy Hook and the Boston Marathon Bombing, Hearts for Hope helps healing.

Through her own experiences, Pederson has learned these small tokens of caring also touch the hearts of those creating them.

“There is something about the simplicity of paying it forward,” Pederson said, “It just feels good.”

Anyone interested “Hearts of Hope” can learn more at OurHeartsofHope.org.