For their bar and bat mitzvahs, many teens begin charity projects. These mitzvah projects are a great way for teens to help people in new and creative ways, be it raising money by selling autism awareness bracelets or donating movies to local hospitals.

I, too, felt a mitzvah project would be a great way to give back. I decided to knit hats to give directly to cancer patients and to sell, so I could donate the proceeds. For the past two years, I have helped the David C. Pratt Cancer Ward at St. John’s Hospital and Friends of Kids with Cancer through what I call “Hats with Heart.”

In my sixth grade art class, I learned how to knit comfortable, warm hats. I enjoyed making hats so much that I bought my own set of looms, needles and bags of yarn. Since my bat mitzvah was coming up that year, I knew immediately that I wanted knitting to be a part of my mitzvah project.

Before my bat mitzvah, I had already made hats for all my friends and family and I had donated over 60. Still more hats were displayed during my kiddush luncheon. I received multiple offers from people who wanted to buy my hats, but I continued to donate them for a year before I decided to sell them as well. During the 2010 Hanukkah bazaar at Congregation B’nai Amoona, I set up a booth and sold about 50 hats. In the next few weeks, I became flooded with orders and ended up raising over $400 to donate to Friends of Kids with Cancer. I’ve raised hundreds more since then.

Last year, I had the opportunity to speak about Hats with Heart at my school. During my presentation, I talked about my inspirations and accomplishments with the project. Members of the physics club even raised money for me to buy more yarn to knit more hats. I was so touched at their initiative to help me as I reach out to help others. All of this began with just a little inspiration.

Inspiration can strike in many different ways. My family has emphasized the importance of giving back since I was very young. Multiple times a month we would go to local charities, such as the Jewish Food Pantry, and volunteer our time for others. Another source of motivation was my grandmother, who was diagnosed with, and passed away from, cancer. A kind, warm person, she always put others before herself.

Hats with Heart began because of a hobby that allowed me to express myself. I soon learned that by knitting hats, I could put my family’s philanthropic values into action. Little did I know the life experiences I would gain would stay with me forever.