Dear Friends,

Thank you for being here. I’d like to share how Heartworks
began and why it matters so deeply.

A moment that changed everything

On the morning of September 11, 2001, my life changed in an instant. I was feeding my young daughter breakfast when my brother called to ask if I had the television on. In the moments that followed, our family’s world shifted forever. My brother-in-law, John W. Farrell, who worked at the World Trade Center, did not come home that day.

John had been part of my life since I was seven years old. He and my sister, Maryanne, had been together since they were teenagers, raising four beautiful children— Kaitlin, Patrick, Molly, and Colin. His loss left a space in our lives that words cannot fully capture.

In the midst of grief we found kindness

That first year was filled with unimaginable sorrow, but also extraordinary compassion. Friends, neighbors, and even complete strangers showed up in ways we will never forget. Meals arrived daily. Carpools were organized. Donations poured in from across the country— children sent coins from piggy banks, people gave whatever they could. There were notes, prayers, and small, meaningful gestures that carried us through each day.

A promise to pay it forward

Somewhere in that first year, I made a promise to myself: when we found our footing again, I would spend my life paying that kindness forward. Because while September 11th was a public tragedy, so many people face private struggles every
day—illness, loss, unexpected hardship, and grief that often go unseen. I wanted to create something that would bring the same level of care, connection, and support to those moments.

The beginning of Heartworks

Heartworks was born from that promise. In 2005, alongside a group of women who shared this vision, we set out to build a community rooted in compassion, one that notices, shows up, and responds with love in times of need. What began as an idea has grown into a movement committed to making a difference, one act of kindness at a time.

I encourage you to join our movement and to use any idea or inspiration that you find here in your own circle of friends, family and community. I have come to understand after 21 years, that we all have the capabilities to be a Heartworker, all that is needed is a willingness to reflect upon our own compassion, vulnerability and the part we play in the bigger picture of our humanity.

In Gratitude,

Megan McDowell
Founder, Heartworks