Angel Heart Pajama Project

Since 2013, Angel Heart has provided over 60,000 children with new pajamas and new books. 

In 2025 Angel Heart Pajama Project aims to serve 8,000 underprivileged ranging in ages from infant to 18 who represent 86% Hispanic, 5% African American, 7% Native American and 2% other children.

While there is some assistance available to address this need, there are currently no programs available that offer support in the way we do.

YOUR DONATION:

Ensures that children will have access to the comfort and warmth of pajamas and books they deserve, meeting their basic needs, building literacy, and supporting emotional well-being. 

Helps to meet their basic needs, build literacy, and support their emotional well-being during challenging times, making a lasting positive impact.

Stays within the community, directly benefiting children in need in Tucson and surrounding areas.

Allows us to expand its reach, serving more children in Pima County. The need is constant, and additional resources can help scale our efforts to meet the growing demand.

THE NEED:

As of February 2024, Arizonans for Children, Inc. stated there were over 9,300 children in foster care. These children in need often go to foster-care facilities or shelters in just the clothes they are wearing, and many of these children seldom enjoy the security, love, and feeling that someone cares about them. With a 2023 poverty rate of 14.4% as reported by Making Action Possible for Southern Arizona, children and families living in Tucson have insufficient capacity to better one's life.

Every child deserves a nurturing environment where they feel safe, loved, and cherished. However, for numerous children in our community, this fundamental right is denied, leaving them exposed to the harsh realities of poverty and deprivation. Angel Heart Pajama Project seeks to address the critical needs of these children by focusing on two essential elements: providing cozy pajamas and engaging books.

HOW DOES ANGEL HEART SERVE CHILDREN IN TUCSON?

By providing new pajamas and books to children in need, particularly those who are homeless, in foster care, or otherwise facing challenging circumstances.

By aiming to promote literacy, comfort, and a sense of security for these children.

By pairing pajamas with books, Angel Heart fosters reading and relaxation, contributing to the emotional well-being and development of the children they support.

TESTIMONIALS:

Quote 1: “The pajamas made me feel warm and cared for.” [Cindy, age 8]
 
 Quote 2: “My daughter’s smile lit up when she saw her new book.”  [Parent]
 
 Quote 3:   “Conrad and Magdalene loved their pajamas & books. They have always slept in their ”undies”. [Casa de los Ninos]

SUCCESS STORIES:

Story 1: Issac and Max

At a local shelter, siblings Issac and Max received matching pajamas from the Angel Heart Pajama Project. The older sibling, who often acted as a caregiver, was excited to have something special to share. That night, they began a new bedtime tradition, reading together with their new book. 

The staff noticed the children seemed more at ease, finding comfort and stability in their new routine during a difficult time.

Story 2: Hannah

A foster care worker shared a story of a Hannah who arrived at her new foster home with few belongings. Receiving pajamas and a book was the first "new" item she’d ever had. She proudly showed off her pajamas and often asked her foster mother to read the book to her before bed. 

This simple gift helped her feel comforted and build trust with her new family.

FOUNDERS:

Angel Heart is the vision of the late Graciela Lopez, mother of the co-founders, Maria Patterson and Marty Croissant. In 1963, these three Cuban-born women immigrated to the United States to escape from political, religious, and economic distress. During their early years adjusting to a new language and culture, Graciela found the means to provide new pajamas and books to enrich her children's lives.

Today, her vision has blossomed into an esteemed nonprofit entity, Angel Heart Pajama Project, which continues to gift new pajamas and books to needy children. Lopez and her daughters were able to realize their dream of "paying it forward" by sharing with children in need the same gift that had brought them such joy and comfort when they were young.