Oceanside teen’s initiative aids mental health

Aleena Zeejah, a 16-year-old Oceanside High School student, is doing her part to make a difference in the lives of those impacted by mental health conditions, launching the Cards For Mental Health initiative.

The project encourages local teens and volunteers across Long Island to create handmade cards, which are then delivered to patients in mental health units at local hospitals. The project aims to lift patients’ spirits during their hospital stays and spread awareness about the importance of mental health.

Zeejah’s AP experience coursework inspired her initiative, with students creating handmade cards to brighten the days of patients battling cancer. The experience was so moving that it ignited a spark in her to do even more.

“I enjoyed that, and that led me to want to start cards for mental health,” Zeejah said. “People make cards like how I was doing for AP experience, but give these cards to people in mental health emergency rooms and hospitals to help people while they’re in the hospital.”

Each card features encouraging messages and uplifting images, such as a Stitch-themed card with the phrase on the front that reads, “Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind.” An inspiring note on the inside reads, “I believe in you. You’re strong, you’re amazing, and you have the power to get through this.”

Zeejah’s dedication to mental health advocacy stems from her involvement in a school program called natural helpers, which focuses on peer support and mental health education. She has been part of this program since eighth grade and credits it with sparking her interest in mental health.

“It’s like a peer support group,” Zeejah said. “It’s centered around mental health and helping people who are struggling with mental health, and using the tools that you have learned through your training with the club to help other people and try not to put that burden on yourself. I really learned a lot from natural helpers, and they taught me a lot about mental health.”

Zeejah, a rising junior at the High School, was inspired to start this project during her AP class, where she initially made cards for cancer patients. Realizing the impact of these small gestures, she decided to expand the idea to focus on mental health.

Zeejah and her friends delivered the first batch of 85 cards to Long Island Community Hospital on Aug. 8. Her initiative gained traction when she connected with Rocío López Fontela, the hospital’s manager of patient relations in July.

“When I received her email, we started coordinating, and I thought it was a lovely idea what they did,” Fontela said. “Everyone was so happy and receptive to it. We went in, and they loved it and it made their day. I felt that was a really sweet moment for them, which made it worth it.”

Zeejah has involved eight friends in creating the cards and is working to expand the project by engaging the wider community. She has already begun opening up dialogue to collaborate with the Oceanside Library and plans to involve the Oceanside High School’s new Wellness Center once the school year begins.

Zeejah has created an Instagram page, @cards_formentalhealth, to promote the initiative, which has attracted more than 200 followers. The platform helps to spread the word and recruit more volunteers.

Zeejah plans to extend the project to more hospitals and involve additional community members. She has already reached out to Mount Sinai South Nassau and Northwell Health, and is determined to continue expanding her initiative. She has also connected with Town of Hempstead Clerk Kate Murray, who has shown support for the project and plans to assist in expanding it.

“That’s really the goal with them — try to expand this and get as many volunteers as we possibly can to make these cards, and, hopefully, it goes further than that,” Zeejah said. “It was very eye-opening, and we just realized how much of an impact one card or one person can make in so many people’s lives.”