Hope in Action: Serving Orlando's Hungry and Homeless through Straight Street

Authors

• Tyler Goncalves, University of Central FloridaFollow
• Kenzie Robinson, University of Central FloridaFollow
• Marcella Pardo, University of Central FloridaFollow
• James Mason Huhne, University of Central FloridaFollow
• Rohan Rana, University of Central FloridaFollow

Streaming Media

Files

Course Code

LDR

Course Number

2002

Faculty/Instructor

Dr. Denise Lowe

Faculty/Instructor Email

Denise.Twyford@ucf.edu

About the Author

My name is Tyler Goncalves and I, along with the rest of my team, have had the honor and privilege of working with and learning from Straight Street Orlando this past semester. Naseeka and Deja'Nay and everyone there played such a big role in making this project possible and an even bigger role in combating the hunger epidemic that our homeless community faces every single day. For that, we humbly thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Abstract, Summary, or Creative Statement

This project focuses on working with Straight Street Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the homeless and those facing hunger in Orlando. Since 2009, Straight Street has provided over 200,000 meals to those in need, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday through Friday. Through this project, my team and I participated in distributing meals, and conversing with workers who gave us valuable insight into the work they do. This hands-on experience showed the impact that consistent community support can have on vulnerable populations. We learned how important it is to meet physical and emotional needs, and how meaningful connections with those being served can foster resilience and faith. Working with Straight Street has been an eye-opening experience that highlights the power of compassion and dedication in creating positive change.

Keywords

Straight Street; Hunger; Homelessness; Orlando

Recommended Citation

Goncalves, Tyler; Robinson, Kenzie; Pardo, Marcella; Huhne, James Mason; and Rana, Rohan, "Hope in Action: Serving Orlando's Hungry and Homeless through Straight Street" (2025). High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2025. 50.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hip-2025spring/50