The Florida Alternative Break to Sanibel and Fort Myers was designed to immerse students in meaningful community engagement while fostering personal and professional growth. Through collaboration with local community members and peers, participants build strong relationships, develop leadership and communication skills, and gain a deeper understanding of shared challenges. This week long experience encouraged students to reflect on their values, strengths, and aspirations, helping them connect their skills to career paths focused on community impact.
Participants & Advisors: Participants represented a wide range of majors, including Marine Science; Environmental Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Health Science (two students each); as well as Art, Exploratory, Philosophy/Political Science, Psychology, English, Biochemistry, Biology, Student Personnel in Higher Education (M.Ed), Information Systems, Nutritional Sciences, Political Science, Sociology, and Criminology. Advisors in attendance included Ian McGinnity, Sarah Blanc, James Agan, and Jillian Prescott.
Environmental Conservation in Sanibel
Spending a week in Sanibel Island for our Florida Alternative Break gave us a shared, hands-on look at what environmental conservation really requires: collaboration, consistency, and community connection.
After traveling from Gainesville, we began with a visit to the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) Marine Laboratory, where we learned how research, restoration, and local partnerships work together to protect the island’s ecosystems. That foundation carried through the rest of the week as we moved from learning into action.
We spent our days in the field removing invasive species at J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, supporting native plant restoration efforts, contributing to a gopher tortoise habitat project, and maintaining trails. Each experience showed us that conservation is both immediate and long-term, requiring attention to detail and sustained effort.
Midweek, our focus expanded beyond natural ecosystems as we partnered with the United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades, the American Red Cross, and the Suncoast Neighborhood Task Force to restore a community garden in North Fort Myers. This experience highlighted how environmental work also supports community well-being, reinforcing that sustainability includes both ecological and human-centered approaches.
Disaster Preparedness and Human Services in Fort Myers
From the very beginning, this trip challenged us to think differently about disasters, not just as moments of crisis, but as ongoing processes that require planning, partnership, and trust.
Our first stop to Collaboratory set the tone: learning how collaboration across organizations can shape an entire region’s ability to respond and recover. It became clear that no single group can do this work alone—resilience is built together.
That idea followed us into our service with the Suncoast Neighborhood Task Force, where we rolled up our sleeves to organize disaster relief supplies and help restore a community garden. At first glance, these tasks might seem simple—but they represent something much bigger. Every sorted supply and every planted seed contributes to a system that supports people not just in emergencies, but in everyday life. Preparedness, we learned, is rooted in consistency and care.
Midweek brought a shift from service to skill-building provided by the United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades. Through a disaster preparedness presentation and CPR training, we stepped into scenarios that made emergency response feel real and immediate. Practicing CPR wasn’t just a requirement—it was a reminder that preparedness can be deeply personal. In a crisis, the ability to act quickly and confidently can make all the difference.
Later in the week, we joined efforts at the Midwest Food Bank, assisting with food distribution. This experience highlighted a critical but often overlooked piece of disaster response: food security. Disasters don’t just disrupt infrastructure—they disrupt access to basic needs. Seeing the scale and coordination required to meet those needs gave us a new appreciation for the systems that quietly support communities every day.
Key Takeaways
- Total Impact: 321 service hours contributed and $11,167.59 in estimated economic impact
- Community Partners: Collaboratory; United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades; American Red Cross; Suncoast Community Task Force; Midwest Food Bank; Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation
- Service Activities: Community garden restoration; food bank distribution; disaster preparedness and CPR training; invasive plant removal; native plant and habitat restoration; hurricane debris cleanup
Overall, this experience encouraged students to reflect on their values, strengths, and aspirations, helping them connect their skills to career paths focused on social impact. At the same time, students cultivated resilience, prioritized lifelong wellbeing, and embraced continuous learning as they gain insight into the strategies our community partners use to tackle complex challenges & community impacts.
