Mother Seton Rising Junior Brings Comfort and HOPE to Children with Heart Disease

Alyssa Orlowski started with a simple idea: collect care bags for children with heart disease. By the time she finished, she had created something far bigger—a tangible reminder that compassion grows when people come together.

The rising junior at Mother Seton Regional High School organized the project in partnership with St. John Vianney, the grammar school she attended before high school. Her goal was to create 50 care bags to donate to children at a local hospital. But when she asked the St. John Vianney community for help, something remarkable happened.

Families responded with such overwhelming generosity that Alyssa collected nearly 1,300 donated items and almost $4,000 in cash donations. The response was so large that Alyssa was asked to direct the care bags to a hospital with even greater need. On June 10, she delivered 97 care bags to children at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Union County Life celebrates the young people in Clark and across Union County who see others' pain and respond with action. Alyssa is exactly that kind of person.

The care bags went to patients in the Little Mended Hearts program, which serves children with congenital heart defects and their families. For children and families facing hospital stays, procedures, and the uncertainty that comes with serious cardiac conditions, these small gestures matter enormously. They offer comfort. They offer courage. They remind families that people care.

Alyssa's work reflects the mission of Mother Seton Regional High School, where students are encouraged to live their faith through service and compassion. The school, rooted in the charism of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, seeks to form young women who recognize others' needs and respond generously.

In her thank-you message to the St. John Vianney community, Alyssa wrote something that captures the heart of what she did: "I may have graduated, but I will always be a part of the SJV family. Just remember that your kindness can mend a heart."

She was talking about the children at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. But her words also apply to anyone who watched her work. When young people lead with compassion, when they organize, persist, and inspire their communities to give—that changes hearts too. It reminds everyone what is possible when people choose kindness.

Union County Life covers student achievement, community service, and young leaders making a difference across Clark and all Union County municipalities.

FAQ

Q: What did Alyssa Orlowski organize?
A: Alyssa organized a service project to collect care bags for children with heart disease. Working with her former grammar school community (St. John Vianney), she collected donated items and cash donations to create care bags for children through the Little Mended Hearts program.

Q: How many care bags were delivered?
A: Alyssa initially aimed to collect 50 care bags. Because the response from the St. John Vianney community was so generous, she collected enough items and funds to create and deliver 97 care bags to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on June 10, 2026.

Q: What is the Little Mended Hearts program?
A: Little Mended Hearts is a program of The Mended Hearts, Inc. It provides hope, support, education, and encouragement to children with congenital heart defects and their families. The program helps families facing hospital stays, procedures, and the uncertainty that comes with serious cardiac conditions.

Q: What schools were involved in this project?
A: Mother Seton Regional High School in Clark and St. John Vianney grammar school (Alyssa's former school) partnered on the project. St. John Vianney families donated the items and funds that made the care bags possible.

Q: What was in the care bags?
A: The source does not specify individual items in the care bags. The bags were assembled from 1,300+ donated items collected from the St. John Vianney community. Families are encouraged to contact Little Mended Hearts or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for information about what types of items are most helpful for children during hospital stays.

Q: Where can I find more information about student service projects in Clark?
A: Union County Life covers student achievement, community service, and young leaders across Clark and all Union County municipalities. Subscribe to stay informed about how students are making a difference in your community.