Friday, June 13, 2025
A powerful display of community collaboration and youth initiative took place Saturday at the Oceanside Library, as Oceanside high school student Aleena Zeejah led a successful Mental Health Awareness Month event featuring local organizations, hospitals, and hands-on activities for residents of all ages.
Zeejah, a junior at Oceanside High School and founder of Cards for Mental Health, her nonprofit organization she started late last summmer focused on giving back to mental health patients at hospitals through handmade cards and awareness efforts. The event over the weekend drew roughly 40 attendees throughout the day.
Visitors were welcomed to a variety of interactive tables promoting wellness, education and healing, all in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month.
“I was very happy,” Zeejah said. “There was a lot of turnout. I had gotten about seven organizations together and two hospitals, which ended up being nine different tables.”
Those hospitals included Cohen Children’s Medical Center and Long Island Community Hospital. “Cohen’s did more of the behavioral centers around Rockville Centre and Oceanside,” Zeejah explained. “Long Island Community Hospital did a mini session with people on the benefits of Reiki.”
Reiki, a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing, was a surprising hit.
“They had a bunch of different benefits to mental health,” Zeejah said. “It was really great.”
Other tables engaged participants with activities like bracelet making, coloring pages, fidget toy giveaways, and informational materials. Notable participants included the Ryan Patrick O’Shea Foundation and the Oceanside SAFE Coalition.
Zeejah also spoke about the feedback she received from participants and organization leaders.
“A lot of people were saying that it was a really informative and collaborative event, which brought a lot of Oceanside organizations and local organizations together to support one equal cause—mental health.”
Throughout the day, Zeejah was able to share more about her nonprofit’s mission and even form new connections for future collaborations. As a result, Zeejah said she received encouragement to host more card-making sessions and got connected with new hospitals to potentially expand her outreach.
“It was really informative for me as well,” she said. “Working together in the community really helps, especially to grow and grow together. It’s not benefiting one of us, it’s benefiting all of us.”
Zeejah’s efforts not only brought attention to mental health issues, but also exemplified the power of youth leadership and the strength of community when united for a shared cause.
“When I started doing this, it was all about bringing smiles to patients,” she said. “But over time, I’ve learned so much more about how mental health impacts people every day. It’s not just something you talk about once a year—awareness and support need to be consistent. When people would come to my table, I’d explain how this is my organization, this is how I give back to the community. I would love to make myself better and grow more, because we all can grow more, right?”
