Happy 16th Heartiversary to Harboring Hearts!

Apr 10

On April 10th, 2009, founders Michelle Javian and Yuki Kotani Courtland planted the seeds for Harboring Hearts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which has found a special place in so many hearts. Harboring Hearts was created as a way to honor the memory of Michelle’s beloved father, and grew out of a need Yuki and Michelle observed while both of their fathers were cardiac transplant patients at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia Irving Medical Center.

Yuki Kotani Courtland, Dr. Naka, Michelle Javian

Sixteen years on, every single day is an opportunity for gratitude. As Board Member Russ Tisman describes, it's "a club one never expects to join," yet a place where one can find community and a "new normal" through a second chance at life.

Every single day is a gift of borrowed time granted by the selfless generosity of often anonymous donors and their families, frequently in the face of tragedy. Yet there is a beauty in which loss begets new life, and it is our responsibility to live ours accordingly. So let’s take today, the 16th Anniversary of Harboring Hearts, to honor the memory of those lost by celebrating the lives they saved, and the work our Harboring Hearts community commits to on a daily basis. It is our goal to provide a safety net and place of kindness for transplant recipients and their families, creating a sense of family, support, and the ability to heal more holistically, finding ways to provide Hope for Hearts as we celebrate our community and pay it forward.

Harboring Hearts was founded with a mission to support cardiac surgery and transplant recipients and their families throughout hospitalization and beyond, enabling those who have received the miraculous gift of life to focus on healing as we provide crucial support services for both patient and family so they, too, are no longer functioning in survival mode nor autopilot.

At Harboring Hearts, we give hope to hearts via our four pillar programs:

An Emergency Fund, which in collaboration with 9 partnering hospitals, provides grants for cardiac surgery and organ transplant patients and their families who are in need of assistance covering the cost of essential food, housing, and transportation to and from medical appointments
A Caregiver Meal Delivery Program, providing meals to family members or immediate caregivers while at the patient's hospital bedside
Hope 4 Patients Experiences designed for the youngest pediatric patients to adult patients, granting them a wished-for experience as they journey toward recovery, reminding them they are not merely a medical patient, rather a human with opportunity to create meaningful memories with those they hold close
Community Events ranging from support groups to volunteer-led activities and Heart Parties as a means to connect cardiac surgery and transplant teams with patients and families, building community along the way

Heart Transplant Recipient Kevin and his wife, O’Brien, during a Hope 4 Patients Experience with the New York Mets, generously donated by a Harboring Hearts supporter.

This 16th Anniversary celebration would not be possible without the immense contributions of our staff under the leadership of Executive Director Pamela Kass Vynalek, dedicated staff members Aradhna Bulchand-Ashrani, Nicole Zero, and Robyn Tisman, our Board of Directors led by Chairman Ryan Melkonian, Junior Board members, incredible medical professionals and social workers across our nine partner hospitals, and most of all, you.

Since the beginning, our patient-facing impact has been synonymous with support systems and care for organ transplant patients. We provide direct resources for patients, to and through cardiac, liver, and pediatric kidney transplantation. According to Harboring Hearts’ partner, the LiveOnNY Foundation, more than 100,000 people are currently awaiting life-saving transplants. Every 8 minutes, another person is added to an organ transplant waiting list. Each year, more than 5,000 heart transplants are performed worldwide, a life-altering moment for both patient and family. For a quick overview and additional statistics, read the LiveOnNY Transplant Info Sheet. In fact, during 2022, the United States surpassed the million-transplant threshold for the first time, saving a record number of lives. Your direct support helps Harboring Hearts provide critical care for those fighting for their lives.

Register to become an organ donor: If you are living in New York State, you can register through the Donate Life New York organ donor registry. Outside of New York, the Federal Government’s Health Resources and Services Administration’s Organ Donor Registration web site will direct you to the appropriate paperwork to file online to be added to your state’s registry. Finally, for those who are getting ready to update your driver’s license or get a federally mandated Real I.D., you can register to be an organ donor through your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.

As Harboring Hearts continues our mission via our programs, here are ways you can become involved:

Corporate Sponsorship: We are stronger because of our partners, and our trusted corporate supporters are the engine which drives some of Harboring Hearts’ most ambitious fundraising initiatives. If you or your company would like to become a Corporate Sponsor, creating Care Packages or volunteering at a Heart Party, please contact our team or connect here
Tee Off for Patients: Harboring Hearts will be hosting our 5th Annual Charity Golf Outing & Cocktail Reception at Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, New York on September 23rd, 2025 with hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, a live auction, and full program. For more information, please contact our Executive Director, Pamela Kass Vynalek, at Pamela@harboringhearts.org
Run for Hearts: Are you a runner? Join us for the NYRR’s 2025 TCS NYC Marathon by applying for a bib (before April 16th, 2025)
Patients Pay It Forward: Harboring Hearts has had the great fortune of helping our patients and their families in times of need. With Patients Pay It Forward, we have the opportunity to perpetuate the kindness received by benefitting our fellow transplant community and their families
Get Involved with our Junior Board: Harboring Hearts is a welcoming place to participate in Junior Board activities and fundraising events like our Pins for Patients Bowling Fundraiser, Super Bowl Squares, and others. For more information, please contact Jackie@harboringhearts.org
Harboring Hearts clothing and accessories: In similar spirit to wearing one’s heart on one’s sleeve, why not lounge around or work out with some Harboring Hearts swag? Harboring Hearts has partnered with Cloz Talk to make a storefront of our gear available via their website: https://cloztalk.com/collections/harboring-hearts

For more information regarding vital resources, please visit our website.

For the latest news, read the Harboring Hearts blog and follow us on social media: @harboringhearts on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Please join us in wishing all of our Harboring Hearts staff, Board Members, partners, and community members – present and future – a Happy 16th Heartiversary to Harboring Hearts!

And most importantly, let’s work together to give Hope to Hearts everywhere.