Meredith Levy of O’Hara was searching for a colorful and creative surprise for her twin daughters’ birthday during the covid-19 quarantine.
She found it close to home.
“I found these balloon arches offered by a lady online in a Fox Chapel Facebook group,” Levy said. “I ordered a Foxes-themed one — with red and black — for their birthdays and hung it on the banister.”
The arches are the handiwork of O’Hara resident Ashley Hart, 36.
Hart relocated to Pittsburgh from California and is a longtime active volunteer with the National Kidney Foundation.
She began creating and selling large, non-helium-filled balloon arches, offering a festive at-home option for those left in a lurch after canceling parties in response to covid-19 quarantine restrictions.
“My daughter was turning 4 and couldn’t have a birthday party, so I decided to make a balloon arch to surprise her and she loved it,” Hart said.
Hart donates 100% of the proceeds to The National Kidney Foundation.
Erin Tuladzieck, executive director at Pittsburgh’s National Kidney Foundation chapter, said the foundation is grateful for Ashley’s “outside-of-the-box” fundraising idea.
“She took her talent and creativity and turned it into giving back,” Tuladzieck said. “She’s always been very involved and she has the biggest heart.”
Hart sells the 12-foot-long arches containing 48 balloons for $50 each. Customers make their checks out directly to the National Kidney Foundation.
To date, Hart has donated almost $1,000 to the Pittsburgh Kidney Foundation chapter, and hopes to raise at least $2,000 by year’s end.
“I feel great doing something nice for other people,” said Hart, who honed her balloon-arch skills as a middle-schooler helping to decorate dances at her school in California.
Balloons are purchased from Amazon. Hart said she is open to finding a Pittsburgh connection for buying the latex balloons she inflates with an electric pump and ties together with string.
“I would love to find a place to get balloons locally,” she said.
Customers may select two colors or order a rainbow one, the most popular theme, Hart said.
Customer comments on social media give rave reviews, and many have commented on the shelf life of the arches.
“My daughter’s balloons are still looking great months later, and are decorating their room,” Levy said.
Hart delivers arches to O’Hara, Fox Chapel, Blawnox, Aspinwall, Oakmont, Sharpsburg and Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood.
Anyone residing outside of those areas are welcome to pick them up at Hart’s home.
Hart said birthdays are the most requested reason for ordering the balloons, followed by anniversaries.
“I will do this as long as people are willing to donate,” Hart said.
