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Near Tampa’s University of South Florida, their job is helping to grow hope

The non-profit University Area Community Development Corporation strives to give a neglected community a voice.
 
Syori Sotomayor, 7, on left, works with Vivian Fisk, University Area Community Development Corporation Prodigy Cultural Arts Instructor, in an art class at the Harvest Hope Center at Harvest Hope Park. Said Syori’s mother, Carissa Guzman: “She loves just painting. She could do this all day.”
Syori Sotomayor, 7, on left, works with Vivian Fisk, University Area Community Development Corporation Prodigy Cultural Arts Instructor, in an art class at the Harvest Hope Center at Harvest Hope Park. Said Syori’s mother, Carissa Guzman: “She loves just painting. She could do this all day.” [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]
Published March 24, 2023

After they planted the community garden in what had been a scrubby vacant lot not far from the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus, people broke in at night to steal the fruits and vegetables.

So the non-profit University Area Community Development Corporation put up signs to tell the neighborhood: This place is yours. The food is free.

“After that, people started to come in,” said Sarah Combs, CEO and executive director of the UACDC, an acronym the organization is known by. “The banana trees, one of the residents planted. We were like, ‘There’s no way we’ll grow bananas.’ Now we have shoots everywhere.”

Today, the garden at Harvest Hope Park on N 20th Street — formerly a property littered with drug needles and housing a pond with a rusty old dishwasher in it — thrives. Friday mornings, locals come to garden amongst the strawberries, bok choy and green onions, to learn about soil and composting, to take home seedlings. At harvest time, there’s a block party cook-out.

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“I feel like most companies ought to do outside work at least once a week,” said Julian Gines, the UACDC’s business services manager, who was checking on the yellow calendula flowers, which he said can be used to make a “nice tea.”

On a recent morning at the 7-acre park — its pond now stocked with tilapia — the plants were getting a good watering, parents pushed kids on swings and a line of families moved steadily toward a tent providing free groceries. Inside the park’s building, kids painted at long cafeteria tables.

Jeremy Green, 8, shows his art to Erica Moody, UACDC director of operations.
Jeremy Green, 8, shows his art to Erica Moody, UACDC director of operations. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

“It’s a rocket ship,” 8-year-old Jeremy Green said, showing the space scene he drew. “Up into the sky.”

Not far away on N 22nd Street is the organization’s University Area Community Center Complex. The sprawling 50,000 square-foot brick multipurpose facility is a beacon in the neighborhood of apartments and low-slung duplexes where the vast majority of residents rent rather than own.

The University Area Community Center at 14013 N 22nd St.
The University Area Community Center at 14013 N 22nd St. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ]

At the community center, people can seek eviction protection and rental assistance as well as free tax services. There’s GED prep, English classes for those who speak other languages and help in pursuing college degrees. Art and exercise classes are available. The facility has a fitness center and basketball courts. The UACDC, a public-private partnership, works with the county, corporations and partners with non-profits to get its work done.

In the University Area, even after nearly 20 years, tragedy lingers. In 2004, four siblings, ages 2 to 13, were crossing a dark street when they were hit by a car driven by a teacher from a nearby elementary school who then drove away. Two of the children were killed, two injured. The incident stirred issues of race — the driver was white, the children black —and also brought focus to one of the county’s neediest communities.

The wider area around USF, including the old University Mall that’s morphing into what they’re calling an innovation district, has recently become known as Uptown.

Ross Fabian — Coach Ross, who coaches football and cheerleading — has lived here 40 years. He also sits on the UACDC board.

“It’s huge to see all this,” he said that morning at Harvest Park. “It actually needs to be done through all inner-city communities. The relationships built are second to none.”

So what’s it like to work for this sort of organization?

Erica Moody started as a yoga instructor, “fell in love with UACDC,” and is now director of operations.

One employee benefit: Two weekly workouts while they’re on the clock. (Pickleball is popular, and there’s yoga Tuesdays and Thursdays.) Moody says it helps that Combs, the boss, participates: “I’m like, OK, if the CEO can take a break, I can take a little breather,” she said. Vacations and breaks are encouraged, Moody said, and they get time off between Christmas and New Year’s.

“It’s just a good motivator,” she said.

There’s gardening and employee walks on company time. A Sunshine Committee celebrates weddings, anniversaries and babies. The organization just implemented a cost-of-living increase for staff beyond annual and merit increases, and there’s a 3% IRA match.

For Valentine’s Day, they walked to the park and had a cook-out in the garden.

Moody said employees’ family members come for lunch. “For me, that’s a big thing, for my family to see what I do and know the people I work with,” she said.

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Said Combs: “I think it’s important we treat our employees like family, because that’s what they are.”

Then there’s the the work itself.

Troy Alston, a graphic designer who’s worked for private companies, now oversees UACDC community outreach efforts including its flyers.

“Working for a non-profit is a chance to give back, make an impact, make a mark,” he said.

There’s still much to be done: The neighborhood needs sidewalks. Decent affordable housing is scarce. When a HART bus stop was taken away, they rallied to get it back. In a neighborhood so known for being transient it used to be nicknamed Suitcase City, UACDC employees talk about residents going from saying they “stay” here to they “live” here.

“Before this, I was a business manager, a food broker, an office job,” said Gines. COVID changed his outlook and made him want to give back, he said.

“Just, having a purpose, to go along with the day-to-day work,” he said. “Every day I go home knowing I helped at least one person, and that’s a really good feeling.”

• • •

University Area Community Development Corporation

Location: The University Area community near the University of South Florida’s Tampa campus

Employees: 51

Website: www.uacdc.org

Employee comments: “Just, having a purpose, to go along with the day-to-day work. Every day I go home knowing I helped at least one person, and that’s a really good feeling.”

“Working for a non-profit is a chance to give back, make an impact, make a mark.”

“Just the gratitude you get from work is extremely rewarding.”