Our Story
Because a Nine-Year-Old Saw What Mattered Most
Heart of Grace was born from a child’s compassion — and a family’s promise to turn that love into action for others.
How It Started
Grace’s Heart
Grace Stearns spent much of her young life in hospitals. Over the course of her nine years, she underwent four open-heart surgeries — each one requiring long stays, uncertain days, and the kind of courage most adults would struggle to find.
But Grace wasn’t only aware of her own fight. During her final hospital stay, she began noticing the families around her — parents skipping meals so their children could eat, siblings left in waiting rooms, households quietly falling apart under the weight of mounting bills and endless nights away from home.
She saw families struggling with meals, stretched to their limits financially, and hurting in ways that went beyond the medical — and she wanted to help.
— The moment that planted the seed
Grace’s parents — Jason Stearns and Angela Stearns — saw their daughter’s empathy and knew it deserved to become something lasting. Together as a family, they began developing a plan: an organization that would come alongside families living through the same long hospital stays they knew so well, providing both practical support and the simple reassurance that someone cared.
Grace passed away at nine years old. But the compassion she carried — the heart that looked outward even in her hardest moments — became the foundation of Heart of Grace, Inc., established in 2018 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in her memory and in her spirit.
Today, Heart of Grace exists because a little girl saw what mattered most: that no family should face their darkest days alone.
What Guides Us
Mission, Vision & Values
Everything we do is grounded in Grace’s belief that small acts of care can carry families through their hardest seasons.
Our Mission
To provide financial help and spiritual support to families who have children in long-term hospital stays — helping them persevere the way of life they had before hospitalization and overcome the financial and emotional difficulties that come with caring for a child in extended medical care.
Our Vision
A community where every family facing pediatric hospitalization receives the support they need to stay whole — financially, emotionally, and spiritually — so they can focus on what matters most: being present for their child.
Grace’s Legacy
Heart of Grace carries forward the compassion of a nine-year-old who looked beyond her own hardship and saw the needs of families around her. We honor that legacy in every care bag delivered and every bill paid on a family’s behalf.
Compassion
Meeting families with empathy, dignity, and genuine care
Stewardship
Honoring every dollar entrusted to us with transparency
Equity
Serving all families without discrimination of any kind
Family First
Protecting the home life that holds families together
The People Behind the Mission
Founded by Family
Heart of Grace is led by the two people who lived the journey firsthand — and made a promise to help others through it.
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Jason Stearns
Co-Founder & President
Grace’s father and co-founder of Heart of Grace. Jason brings his background in information technology and a deep personal understanding of what families face during long hospital stays. He oversees the organization’s day-to-day operations, strategic direction, and program development.
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Angela Stearns
Co-Founder & Vice President
Grace’s mother and co-founder of Heart of Grace. Angela’s firsthand experience navigating the emotional and financial challenges of pediatric hospitalization drives the heart of the organization’s programs. She plays a vital role in shaping how Heart of Grace supports families.
Continue What Grace Started
Every gift — no matter the size — helps a family stay together, stay strong, and know they aren’t alone. Grace saw the need. You can be part of the answer.