Hopeful Origami for Cancer Patients

CLOSED: This opportunity is currently closed to submissions. We strongly encourage volunteers to hold their submissions until we can accommodate more. Thanks for your support and understanding!

IMPORTANT: This volunteer opportunity is available by pre-approval only. If you're interested in creating origami, please email volunteer@kitstoheart.org with photos of your work for approval before submitting. Please allow at least 2 weeks for approval.

At this time, we are accepting paper cranes, hearts, and other exceptional origami designs that meet our quality guidelines. Thank you so much for your support and understanding!

Earn 1 verified service hour for every 15 completed origami pieces.

MAXIMUM: 60 origami pieces per volunteer submission each month.

Help bring hope and encouragement to adults affected by cancer by creating beautiful handmade origami for Kits to Heart's free cancer care kits. These thoughtful creations add a personal touch that recipients consistently appreciate and remind them that someone took the time to make something just for them.

Origami—especially the paper crane—has long symbolized hope, healing, resilience, and peace. Inspired by the story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, these handcrafted pieces represent strength, perseverance, and the ability to find beauty even during life's most difficult moments.

Project Guidelines

We welcome a variety of origami designs, and you're encouraged to be creative!

Please use:

• Colorful or patterned origami paper
• High-quality folds with crisp, neat edges
• Designs that fit comfortably inside our care kits

Repeating colors and patterns is perfectly acceptable.

Priority Designs

We especially appreciate:

• Paper cranes
• Hearts with bows
• Other designs featured in our recommended tutorials

We Cannot Accept

• Origami made from white printer paper
• Notebook paper
• Construction paper
• Simple Masu boxes
• Paper boats
• 3D hearts, as they are easily flattened during shipping

Recommended Tutorials

• Origami Flower
• Origami Butterfly
• Paper Crane
• Origami Dragon
• Cute Paper Heart
• Paper Heart with Wings
• Origami Heart 2
• Pentagon Rose Diagram+ Video (1 hour each)
• Maple Leaf Origami (1 hour each)
• Murex Origami (1 hour each)
• Long-tailed Tit Bird Origami (30 minutes each)

Recommended Paper

Kits to Heart earns from qualifying Amazon purchases, which supports our mission at no extra cost to you.

• Tuttle Chiyogami Pattern Origami Paper
• Double-Sided Japanese Washi Patterns
• Kaleidoscope Patterns
• Dog Patterns
• Cat Patterns
• Nature Patterns

How to Submit

Please follow these steps to ensure your work is received!