Building Connections, Broadening Our Reach

To increase awareness of the Tobacco-Free Partnership (TFP) and attract new members, Provider Staff and a TFP member participated in a partnership recruitment activity at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel, FL. The activity was selected to expand and diversify the Tobacco-Free Pasco Partnership’s membership while increasing community awareness of the Partnership.

Prior to the recruitment event, Partnership discussions identified the importance of reaching disparate and young adult populations to raise awareness and increase representation of these groups within the Partnership. TFP members felt that attending this event would be beneficial due to the diversity of attendees and participating organizations, as well as the event’s focus on young adults and low-income residents and the organizations serving these populations. Participation in the event also aligned with one of the Partnership’s goal areas: improving tobacco education among youth in Pasco County.

The recruitment activity provided an opportunity to engage students attending Pasco-Hernando State College, college administrators, and organizations that serve young adults and low-income populations. TFP member Alyssa Torum also participated on a panel of organizations that answered questions from the event emcee. Through participation in the event, TFP members were able to build relationships with college-aged students and providers serving low-income populations and help ensure these communities have access to the resources needed to quit smoking.

During the event, a table was set up to engage with attendees and provide information about the Partnership. The table displayed a variety of Partnership-specific materials, including the TFP postcard and recruitment flyer. TFP members interacted with representatives from participating organizations and built relationships with several community partners, including GNAHEC, Healthy Families, Pasco Libraries, Premier Community HealthCare, AdventHealth, and BayCare, among others.

As a result of this activity, approximately 100 individuals received information about the Partnership and opportunities to become more involved. College-aged youth and representatives from participating organizations received TFP postcards and recruitment flyers, and an invitation to attend a Partnership meeting was provided to attendees. The event host, Pasco-Hernando State College, will also share information about the Partnership and other participating organizations through its website.