Communication senior, Alyssa Eldridge. (Photo courtesy of Alyssa Eldridge)
Alyssa Eldridge, a senior majoring in communication, collaborated with Healthy 22nd Street Garden Initiative (Healthy 22nd Street) to host their inaugural fundraising event, highlighting their community engagement work, as part of her senior capstone project. Her contributions led to successful fundraising, prize acquisitions, and the creation of a cookbook to further support Healthy 22nd Street's financial goals.
The Department of Communication’s senior capstone course, taught by Dr. Laurel Friedman, combines theory with hands-on projects, examines real-life communication situations, and covers topics such as health and well-being, sustainable communities, and zero hunger.
These course attributes guided Eldridge in selecting Healthy 22nd Street as her partner, to raise funds for additional community gardens in the area. These gardens would offer free access to fresh produce for residents, promoting health and food accessibility.
“When I first approached the senior capstone project, I knew that I wanted to give back to the community. At the time, I was working on another project with the Tampa Garden Club, helping update their website with a couple group members. This gave me the idea to ask my contacts if they would want to partner with me for a community clean-up effort, such as raking leaves, trimming edges, or planting flowers. Unfortunately, they were all booked, but that’s when one of my contacts connected me with Mrs. Kitty Wallace, the Garden Steps Coordinator at Healthy 22nd Street. She told me about the need for funding at the organization and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to help,” Eldridge said.
Eldridge and Wallace teamed up to organize a taste-off fundraising event to reach their goal. Eldridge handled the creation of infographics and sign-up forms, while Wallace utilized her network to gather a list of community members for email outreach.
To boost awareness and attendance at the event, Eldridge suggested offering prizes from the Tampa Garden Club and Hotel Haya in Ybor City for participants.
“At first, I started reaching out to many local businesses around Healthy 22nd Street, but none were interested in participating. I leveraged my personal connections by sending a donation request to the Tampa Garden Club, with whom I already had a working relationship. Additionally, I reached out to a former HR co-worker from my time as a line cook at Streamsong Resort in high school. She had since been hired at Hotel Haya, which I was able to send a donation letter directly to her work email,” Eldridge said.
Community members participating in the taste-off event for the Healthy 22nd Street Garden Initiative. (Photo courtesy of Alyssa Eldridge)
While preparing for the taste-off, Eldridge created a strategy to raise more funds for Healthy 22nd Street. She requested all taste-off participants to bring a recipe for their dish, which was then compiled into a cookbook and sold for advertising space on the back for local businesses. This initiative generated extra revenue beyond the cookbook sales.
After graduating from USF, Eldridge hopes to pursue a graduate degree in therapy and become a therapist. Looking back on her involvement with Healthy 22nd Street, she emphasized how the lessons she learned will stay with her as she enters this new phase in her life.
“Community engagement plays a very large role in the work at Healthy 22nd Street. If it weren't for the need in the community for affordable fresh fruits and vegetables, there would be no garden. It made my heart full that I was able to create an environment where the community could learn how to incorporate freshly grown ingredients into their meals,” Eldridge explained. “I believe this project will always remind me that there are communities that lack access to fresh produce and other essential resources. If I embark on a project during graduate school, it will focus on providing mental health care opportunities at discounted or free rates to those in need within the community.”
To learn more about the Healthy 22nd Street Garden Initiative, visit their website.