You can support Samaritan's families by making mini clay hearts for our staff to share as part of a ritual with our families who just lost their loved one on Samaritan’s services.

The hearts are inside blue velour bags with a beautiful verse to go along with it. The hearts are placed in the caregiver’s hand to honor and memorialize the patient.

Make as many as you like - once or ongoing. Supplies NOT provided.

Finished hearts may be dropped off or mailed to Samaritan's administrative office: Sharon Wenner, Samaritan Healthcare & Hospice, 5 Eves Drive, Suite 300, Marlton, NJ 08053

Supplies Needed:

• Sculpey Clay
• 1.5" mini Heart Cutters - smooth edges only (no flutes/ruffles, etc.)
• Foam Brushes
• Mod Podge

Instructions:

1. Make hearts 1/4" thick - durability is better than quantity

2. Marble colors

• No solid-colored hearts
• No military or camouflage patterns - staff cannot see what heart is in the gift bag so they need to be for anyone.
• Use colors that "match" together (for instance, no hearts with just green and orange)
• If you have a multi-pack with black & dark brown, use sparingly when marbling so not too dark (it can help to use them up first so you don't get stuck with just them at the end)

3. Press clay and cut out with 1.5" mini heart cookie cutter; check your cutter hinge - some hearts may cause clay to have rough notches near point of heart, please smooth out before baking

4. Bake at 275 degrees for 15 minutes per 1/4". The hearts don’t spread like cookies, so you can load the tray

5. Wait for them to cool then coat with mod podge on one side - let dry - coat the other side and the edges.

Thank you so very much for your help!