2026 Hearts Are Now Available

This year the Warren County Public Schools identified 95 students as the most in need for the hearts, many facing housing insecurities.

When you hold a heart, you hold a story. Each student painted two hearts. One goes home with you and the other is displayed at the Stonebranch Center for the Arts with a message from you.

The cost to sponsor a heart: $600 per heart annually or $50 per month by recurring payment.

NOTE: If you sponsored a a heart in 2025, you will need to set up your NEW 2026 heart (s) here. You would stop your reoccurring plan for last year. If you have been paying we will credit the amount to your new heart here.

To select your heart, please view our web page and note which heart (s) you would like to hold. You may pick up your new heart (s) at the 417 North Royal Ave. office Monday-Friday during business hours.

New for 2026

Sponsors will have the opportunity to leave a message of encouragement that will be engraved for the student connected to the program.

These messages become another way our community connects through love, encouragement, and hope.

The 2026 Hearts art piece will be unveiled at the Love Wins Social on the evening of October 9th. We will also present the John K. Marlow Love Wins Legacy Award at the social.

The purpose of the Hold My Heart Program is simple:

To ensure that students facing the greatest challenges have access to the support they need while preserving their privacy and dignity.

The program allows us to identify critical needs, respond quickly, and provide meaningful support through a coordinated partnership between schools, community organizations, businesses, and volunteers.

Funds raised through Hold My Heart are placed into a shared support fund that allows assistance to be directed where the need is greatest.

Today, support extends beyond individual items.

Our Community Resource Advocate works directly with families to identify challenges, connect them with community resources, and help build long-term solutions that improve stability and opportunity for the entire family.

Examples of support may include:

Beds and air mattresses
Bedding and pillows
Clothing and shoes
Prom attire
Yearbooks
School supplies
Sensory items
Transportation assistance
Extracurricular activity fees
Technology for education and college readiness
Emergency housing support
Food assistance
Community resource referrals
Family support services

How Do I Choose a Heart?

Choose the heart you’re drawn to.

Every year we hear the same thing from sponsors: the heart chooses them.

Whether it reminds you of someone you love, speaks to your story, or simply catches your eye, the connection is often deeply personal.

That connection is what makes Hold My Heart so special.

The John & Joyce Marlow "Love Lives On" Dedication

The Hold My Heart Program is dedicated to the legacy of John and Joyce Marlow through the Love Lives On initiative.
At its heart, this program is about connection, compassion, and the belief that love has the power to change lives. Few stories embody those values more than the timeless love shared by John and Joyce Marlow.
Throughout their lives, John and Joyce have been deeply connected to the needs of our community, quietly helping others, supporting important causes, and demonstrating what it means to care for those around us. Their commitment to helping others has left a lasting impact on countless lives.
Although John is no longer with us, his legacy continues through the love he shared with Joyce, the family they built, the community they cared for, and the lives they touched along the way.
The Hold My Heart Program exists to connect students and families facing hardship with the support, resources, and compassion they need. In many ways, the hearts symbolize the same values that John and Joyce represented—a love that reaches beyond ourselves, brings people together, and continues to make a difference long after it is given.
Through this dedication, every sponsored heart serves as a reminder that love lives on through kindness, service, generosity, and care for one another.
Each year, the John K. Marlow Love Lives On Legacy Award honors an individual whose actions reflect these same values and whose commitment to helping others strengthens our community.

The Hike Kidz Foundation is a 501c3 non profit organization located in Front Royal Virginia. All donations are tax deductible.

2026 Hold My Heart Program