Project Rousseau

Project Rousseau (PR) is a not-for-profit organisation based in New York City that provides mentorship, educational support and college guidance to underserved and underrepresented students in high school and beyond. Its mission is to empower these students to achieve their full potential and become leaders in their communities.

The organisation has a story teenagers will love: it was founded in 2001 by Andrew Heinrich while he was still a senior at a New York City high school. He set out to provide one-on-one mentorship to students facing significant barriers to academic success — poverty, homelessness, and a lack of access to educational resources and opportunities. Proof, if you needed it, that you don’t have to wait until you’re a grown-up to start something that changes lives.

Today, PR serves hundreds of students each year through one-on-one mentoring, academic tutoring, college guidance, and extracurricular activities such as debate and public speaking. The team helps students navigate the college application and financial aid process, and a supportive alumni network continues to guide students as they move on to college and beyond. PR has been recognised for its innovative and impactful approach, named a “Top-Rated Nonprofit” by GreatNonprofits and featured in national media including The New York Times, CNN and NBC News.

Theodora and Andrew have been working together on ideas since the beginning of 2021, and the current focus is close to both organisations’ hearts: a bilingual biodiversity project for the young migrant children PR is sheltering while they apply for asylum in New York — bringing the wonder of the natural world to children who need it most.