Students volunteer at Portico Café in Tampa, assisting with community support as part of Spartans Against Homelessness’ weekly outreach efforts. Photo courtesy of Ariella Schwartz.
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By Ebony Hanna
TAMPA, Fla. — Spartans Against Homelessness (SAH) at the University of Tampa (UTampa) is working to strengthen its presence across Tampa Bay through consistent volunteer efforts, student engagement, and a mission centered on supporting the local unhoused community.
The organization is dedicated to providing students with meaningful opportunities to engage in community service and to address homelessness through direct action.
SAH hosts volunteer events almost every week, alternating between Tampa Hope and Portico Café, where students assist with food service and donations, and, most importantly, build connections with those they serve.
UTampa staff member Lincoln Cutler originally founded SAH during his time as a student. However, after his graduation, the organization became inactive until it was later revived by the current club president, Mia Rego. Since its relaunch, SAH has continued to expand its reach and student involvement across campus.
“SAH has grown so much,” said Vice President Navya Jacob. “In the beginning, the main goal was rebuilding the club and recruiting members, but now we are able to focus on what we really want to do with our club, and that’s bringing together people who want to help the homeless community.”
Today, SAH has grown to more than 200 members on Involve and has become one of the university’s most active service organizations.
The club was recently recognized with the Most Improved Organization of the Year award at the Leadership Awards Night, marking a milestone in its early development.
Beyond weekly service, SAH has expanded its impact through collaboration, partnering with more than 11 student organizations this year, including Student Government, Women’s Club Soccer, and Peace. The organization also hosted a recent speaker panel featuring leaders from Tampa Bay homelessness organizations, which saw strong student turnout and engagement.
Navya Jacob said student involvement plays a critical role in expanding awareness and action around homelessness in the community.
“Student involvement makes a real difference by helping amplify the issue by talking about it, advocating for change, and encouraging others to get involved,” Jacob said. “When they become aware of the issue and are given clear opportunities, they are very willing to step up.”
She also emphasized SAH’s main mission, which goes beyond service hours.
“We strive to make people understand homelessness on a different level than they would usually think about it,” Jacob said.
Volunteer coordinator Hope Ward described SAH’s outings as hands-on and relationship-focused experiences.
“Honestly, we’re just hanging out,” Ward said. “If staff needs us to help, we’re there to serve food, organize donations, or just walk around and say hey.”
Ward added that one of the most important aspects of SAH’s work is conversation and connection.
“The most common way we support our neighbors is by talking,” Ward said. “Taking the time to hear somebody’s story and just listening to them. Treating them like a human, friend, and neighbor.”
For many students, these experiences shift perspectives on homelessness.
“There is such a huge stigma around homelessness,” Ward said. “People assume it’s the person’s fault, but really, it’s sometimes uncontrollable. One of my favorite things is people realizing they are human just like us.”
SAH’s founding advisor, Lincoln Cutler, said the organization was created from a personal connection to homelessness and a desire to inspire student action.
“Seeing someone I loved experiencing homelessness made it very real,” Cutler said. “I wanted to bring students together and form a coalition to take action on something that was impacting the city of Tampa.”
Cutler emphasized that the goal of SAH has always been to shift how students view homelessness, as these are real people with real stories.
Since the organization’s revival, Cutler has remained involved in a mentorship role and expressed pride in its continued growth.
“It’s just been a blessing to see it come back and thrive,” he said. “There are a lot of people who care, and that’s the part that just makes me the most proud. Seeing it evolve and change for the better.”
As SAH continues to grow, its leaders hope to expand partnerships, increase student participation, and build lasting impact both on campus and in the Tampa Bay community.
SAH aims to foster a culture of empathy, awareness, and consistent student involvement in addressing homelessness, one volunteer experience at a time.