Play Your Heart Out is a yearly fundraiser at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta that turns a day of sports into life-saving heart surgeries for children. In Podcast 301, I talked with Lauren and Jamie, two Dunwoody High School students who are helping lead it.
Play Your Heart Out is an annual charity sports tournament held at the MJCCA in Dunwoody, Georgia. It raises money for Save a Child’s Heart, an Israeli organization that provides heart surgery for children worldwide. The event started in 2017 as basketball and now features pickleball.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch the full episode above.
What Is Play Your Heart Out?
Play Your Heart Out brings the Dunwoody community together through sport and service. Every dollar supports Save a Child’s Heart (SACH), which provides heart surgeries for children around the world.
This year’s featured sport is pickleball, with divisions for teens, kids, adults, and all skill levels. But whether you’re swinging a paddle or not, your support still counts. Even if you don’t play, you can still donate to this powerful cause and help save lives.
Meet Lauren and Jamie
Two of Play Your Heart Out’s most passionate advocates are Lauren and Jamie, high school students at Dunwoody High School. These motivated teens have taken on leadership roles in promoting Play Your Heart Out and raising awareness for Save a Child’s Heart. Lauren first became involved after a life-changing semester in Israel through the Alexander Muss High School program, where she volunteered at the SACH Children’s Center. She played with recovering children and saw firsthand the impact of the organization’s work.
Jamie was inspired by her older sisters and her father’s involvement with the Atlanta chapter of SACH. Having grown up in a family that prioritized giving back, she was eager to take on a more active role when the opportunity arose. Together, Lauren and Jamie represent the best of what Dunwoody teens can do when given a platform to lead with compassion.
Save a Child’s Heart: A Global Lifeline
Save a Child’s Heart is Israel’s largest humanitarian organization, known for providing pediatric cardiac care to children suffering from congenital and rheumatic heart disease. With over 7,500 children saved across 70+ countries and a new child helped approximately every 24 hours, the impact is nothing short of extraordinary.
The organization operates from the Edith Wolfson Medical Center and the SACH Children’s Center in Holon, Israel, but its reach is worldwide. SACH doesn’t just treat children; it also trains doctors from developing countries, ensuring sustainable access to heart care long after the surgeries are complete.
How Play Your Heart Out Evolved
Play Your Heart Out began in 2017 as a three-on-three basketball tournament, but like the Dunwoody community itself, it has evolved and grown. Over the years, it has included wiffleball, walk/runs, and more. The pivot to pickleball reflects the sport’s booming popularity among both teens and adults.
Dunwoody’s diverse crowd, from students to retirees, appreciates an activity that bridges generations. The new pickleball courts at MJCCA offer a top-tier setting that makes the annual event even more exciting. And thanks to multiple divisions by age and skill level, everyone can play at their own pace.
Local Roots, Global Impact
The Atlanta event has raised enough to fund surgeries for nearly 20 children since it began. In the year before this episode, Play Your Heart Out raised $80,000 and saved five lives.
Dunwoody has a strong Jewish community and a big spirit of giving, which makes it a natural home for an event like this.
Seeing Is Believing
Lauren’s time in Israel opened her eyes to the real-world outcomes of fundraising. At the SACH Children’s Center, she met children and families from around the globe recovering from surgery. Many of them didn’t speak English, but that didn’t matter. The connection was human. It was playful. And it was unforgettable.
Her experience reflects a broader theme among volunteers: when you meet the people you’re helping, it all becomes real. And that authenticity has helped draw more Dunwoody teens into the cause, many of whom now volunteer, donate, or help organize the event.
Why Dunwoody Shows Up for Play Your Heart Out
Living in Dunwoody means more than great schools and parks. It means being part of a community that cares. Whether it is ties to Israel, teaching teens about social impact, or the fun of a shared game, Play Your Heart Out has become a regular on the calendar of Dunwoody events.
As a Dunwoody REALTOR®, I hear buyers ask what kind of community they are joining. Events like this answer that question better than any listing can: neighbors who support each other, and kids who grow up knowing the power of giving back.
Can’t Play? You Can Still Donate
Even if you do not pick up a paddle, you can donate to Play Your Heart Out Atlanta. Every dollar helps pay for surgeries, medical supplies, doctor training, and travel.
My Take: Lauren and Jamie are proof that Dunwoody teens can lead. Thanks to young people like them, our community is making a global difference, one heart at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Play Your Heart Out
What is Play Your Heart Out?
Play Your Heart Out is an annual charity sports tournament at the MJCCA in Dunwoody that raises money for Save a Child’s Heart.
Where is Play Your Heart Out held?
The event is held at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) in Dunwoody, Georgia.
What sport is played at Play Your Heart Out?
The event started as three-on-three basketball in 2017 and now features pickleball, with divisions by age and skill level.
What is Save a Child’s Heart?
Save a Child’s Heart is an Israeli humanitarian organization that provides heart surgery for children from around the world and trains doctors from developing countries.
Can I donate to Play Your Heart Out if I do not play?
Yes. Anyone can donate to Play Your Heart Out Atlanta to help fund children’s heart surgeries.