During the Fall Quarter of 2016, students from College Ten’s ENGAGE club met on a weekly basis to raise money for the Nueva Vista Resources Center, a non-profit organization which serves families in the Beach Flats Community of Santa Cruz. The club consisted of a group of ten members, two facilitators, and a staff mentor. ENGAGE’s weekly meetings had several stages which included the planning and execution of a fundraising project. The goal of this fundraiser was to purchase fresh produce and goods and deliver them to five families residing in the Beach Flats Community around the Thanksgiving season. The club was able to meet its fundraising goal through tabling for donations, a “Fall Festival” fundraising event, and a GoFundMe online donation account. The Fall Festival was the main fundraising event which included the sales of food items, raffle prizes, and games.
ENGAGE successfully raised nearly $600.00 and the students were able to purchase the goods for the families to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner. When the students delivered the goods to the families, the NVRC organized a potluck which gave the students and the families an opportunity to connect with one another and the chance to share their experiences. Based on the 2016 Evaluation, 100% of all ENGAGE members strongly agreed that ENGAGE helped them to feel connected to the off-campus Santa Cruz Community.
