Fifteen-year-old Sophie Rosenman has been giving back to her community through a recently launched Project heART initiative at Sid Jacobson JCC in East Hills.
The monthly event brings teens and neurodivergent peers together to create purposeful art, from habit trackers for seniors to origami bouquets for food pantry recipients.
Rosenman said her passion for giving back started early and is inspired by her parents’ work at Sid Jacobson JCC. Her father, Lloyd, serves as the vice president on the board of directors, and her mother, Brooke, co-chairs Sid Jacobson’s annual Eat.Bid.Laugh! fundraiser.
“I’ve helped give back since I was three, but it was during [the] COVID-19 [pandemic] that I realized I could do something on my own that made a difference,” Rosenman said. “We all have different needs, and by working together, we can make the world thrive through small acts of kindness.”
With the world in lockdown in 2020, Rosenman created two small businesses—Style My Mask and Silver Lining Treats—that blended creativity with a cause.
From designing mask chains and custom Starbucks cups to handcrafting dog tags, Sophie raised $4,000 for Sid Jacobson JCC’s Nikki Schwartz Memorial Community Needs Bank, directly supporting local families struggling with food insecurity.
With her latest initiative, Project heART, Rosenman said she wants to inspire others to give.
“Project heART’s main message is to show everyone—including our neurodivergent population—that we can all give back,” Rosenman said. “Art helps level the playing field. We might need to adapt certain projects to different abilities, but there’s always a way for each participant to contribute and feel proud.”
Outside of her philanthropic work, Rosenman also plays the piano and plans to launch Books Everyone Accessses Together, a new library-style system designed to make sheet music accessible to students without financial barriers. BEAT will allow schools across Long Island to participate—whether by taking on leadership roles, donating materials, or simply gaining access to music they might not otherwise afford.
“You have to start somewhere—dive into different areas and find what resonates with you,” Rosenman said. “If you stay open, you’ll discover just how rewarding small acts of kindness can be.”
Information provided by Sid Jacobson JCC.
