Project Heartstrings

Healing through harmony, one note at a time!

The Mission

Project Heartstrings was founded by Girl Scout Sara Kulkarni, with a simple belief: music can change lives. Through youth-led service, community outreach, and meaningful performances, the project leverages music to bring comfort and connection to those who need it most.

By sharing the universal language of music, we aim to build stronger communities and remind people that they are seen, valued, and never alone.

Advocating sustainable community impact at the UN Headquarters, NY

I was deeply honored to present Girl Scouts at the United Nations Headquarters for the 2026 International Day of the Girl. Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award taught me that meaningful change begins with local service. Participating at the UN's Girls' Speak Out allowed me to listen to courageous young leaders from around the world, learn how grassroots youth action can tangibly address community needs, and bring global insights for better outreach for project HeartStrings

The Power of Music: Four Pillars

Awakens Memory

Music engages deeply embedded neural networks tied to memory and emotion, often persisting even when other cognitive functions decline. Familiar compositions can resurface autobiographical memories and restore a sense of identity and continuity.

Elevates Emotional Well Being

Music functions as a powerful affective regulator, capable of modulating stress responses, easing psychological tension, and supporting emotional processing. It offers a structured yet deeply personal medium for reflection and emotional equilibrium.

Promotes Healing

Increasingly integrated into evidence-based care, music serves as an adjunct therapeutic tool in medical settings. It has been shown to reduce perceived pain, decrease anxiety, and enhance overall patient well-being during treatment and recovery.

Creates Human Connection

Music operates as a shared human language, transcending cultural, generational, and cognitive boundaries. Collective musical experiences cultivate empathy, reinforce social bonds, and foster a sustained sense of belonging.

Facts and Figures

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), music has measurable effects on brain function, emotional regulation, and physical health across a wide range of clinical settings.

Music engages neural systems linked to emotion, memory, movement, and reward, producing measurable brain and physiological responses.
Music interventions are associated with reduced anxiety, depression, and perceived pain across diverse patient groups.
In cancer care (81 studies, ~5,500 participants), music improves mood, pain experience, and overall quality of life.
In chronic pain research (97 studies, ~9,000 participants), music reduces pain intensity and emotional distress related to pain.
In Parkinson’s disease, rhythmic music therapies improve gait, balance, and motor coordination.
In stress-related studies (9,600+ participants), music reduces both psychological stress and physiological stress markers.

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