THE HEART OF THE LOVE QUILT PROJECT: ART SQUARES
By Zach Forte
In a world where trauma and loss often leave children feeling unseen and unheard, a simple square of fabric has become a powerful symbol of hope. A child’s drawing, stitched into cloth, becomes more than art—it becomes a whisper of love across borders and oceans. For those growing up with loss, fear, or isolation, simple squares of hope have grown into a tapestry of healing, connection, and care—one quilt, one message, one child at a time.
What began as a symbolic gesture quickly revealed its deeper emotional impact. For children growing up in poverty and trauma, especially those orphaned by the HIV/AIDS crisis, the quilts became more than blankets. They were visual proof that someone, somewhere, cared. In 2012, The Love Quilt Project was formally founded to carry that spirit forward with a mission: to provide emotional and educational support to vulnerable children in South Africa and the U.S., using the power of art, love, and connection.
At the heart of LQP’s work is a simple but deeply meaningful process—the creation of “art squares” by children in classrooms across the United States. Teachers begin by introducing students to the stories of children in the U.S. and South Africa who live in foster care. Through lessons that emphasize empathy, global awareness, and compassion, students learn about the challenges their fellow youth may face and reflect on the importance of kindness and solidarity. After the discussion, each student is given a square of fabric and asked to create a personal message of hope, love, or encouragement using fabric markers. Some draw pictures—hearts, suns, flowers, or smiling faces. Others write simple but powerful words: “You are unique,” “All you need is love,” or even a simple “Goodnight.” These messages are as diverse and creative as the children who make them.
Once completed, these fabric squares are collected and sent to volunteer quilters, who lovingly stitch them together with individual fabrics to create a one-of-a-kind Love Quilt. The finished quilts are then delivered to children in American and South African foster homes—often during in-person visits, where the recipients can see and touch the messages sent just for them.
Importantly, this is not a one-sided exchange. The children staying in foster homes also participate in the project by creating their own fabric squares to be shared with other kids in similar situations. These reciprocal messages emphasize the universal power of love and kindness, and they allow children on both sides of the globe to see themselves not as victims, but as agents of healing and hope.
Through this process, students in both countries experience the therapeutic and connective power of art. They learn that even a small gesture, like a drawing on a piece of cloth, can bring warmth to someone far away. They also learn that they have the power to make a difference, no matter their age or background.
The Love Quilt Project believes strongly in art as a vehicle for healing. Creating the squares gives children an outlet for learning self-expression as well as a self-awareness that other children, both thousands of miles away or possibly just down the street from their house, can be struggling. Receiving a quilt can also be quite the emotional experience, as many are receiving something that is 100% their own for the first time in their lives, something that provides comfort and the knowledge that someone cares. Tears of joy are often shed as these children gaze upon their new quilts, knowing that whatever their circumstances may be, there will always be someone out there who wants to help, who wants to see them grow and find peace and personal success in their own lives.
