FDAAF Gators or how to get students involved

Every grand idea needs a team. Nonprofits are about a mission. A vision. A narrative. A story. The world not as it it is, but as it needs to be. When I started the Florida Disability Access and Awareness Foundation, I've said that while it's about the types of issues I know full well and face every day, it's not really about me alone or any one individual. It's about the shared understanding we developed within our Board of Directors over the last three years and all the volunteers that have since came and left. An understanding that needs to survive on its own, even after I'm no longer involved and can stand on its own merit.  All of us wanted to share our values and hoped our passion would spread like wildfire. We chose to develop media and technology projects to change perceptions and deal with disability prejudice and stereotypes. Nothing is more powerful than visuals, movies and TV shape attitudes and no medium is more interactive than a video game. But to me, what we develop is almost as important as how. I wanted to find a way to harvest the energy of the younger generation for greater good, to get them excited, to get them riled up, but also to give them a creative outlet and to teach them as we move along. Yes, the opportunity to work on real projects that touch upon real issues is very exciting. But I'm more excited about the education experience and spreading disability empathy that comes with it. Because perhaps we don't have to educate society as much and change perceptions later on, if we raise a caring responsive, empathetic youth. Give them the perception they can internalize and take on. I'm very excited that Florida Disability Access and Awareness Foundation has a sister student group at the University of Florida, FDAAF Gators. Our students can work on projects that matter to them, but also volunteer and intern and even be in charge of the projects our nonprofit is developing. It's all pretty new, but I think giving them a structure and one that is in many ways separate from our charity helps meet all our goal. We were very lucky to find a passionate student, Brooke Kaplan who wants to make a difference, and an advisor, Beth Roland who is our campus connection and knows how to talk to and motivate students. For us it is crucial that the club has a direction and positive energy. It's part of our philosophy to get students to do more than just make coffee at a nonprofit, but to actually work on and drive real projects for real change. In that way FDAAF Gators has a chance to be unlike all those groups that people move on from and forget about. I hope to us is the first of many student communities with FDAAF branding. Every school should get one, as we always look to expand our team. But this is our call to other nonprofits. If you're near a school develop a campus presence. Find creative ways to get students involved. It not only legitimizes you, but it opens up so many different avenues for expansion and growth. Seeing this made us proud: https://ufl.collegiatelink.net/organization/fdaafgators.
Also , shoot FDAAF Gators an email at gators@fdaaf.org


If you can donate:

Online fundraising for FLORIDA DISABILITY ACCESS AND AWARENESS FOUNDATION INC at Razoo