I am Adam Hartnett and am 32 years young. I grew up in Merritt Island, Florida with my parents and five incredible sisters who have now provided me with seven — going on eight — fantastic, lively, beautiful nieces and nephews. I also am privileged to have an incredible group of wise and hilarious friends who also mean the world to me. If it weren’t for my family and friends, I would most definitely not be where I am today. They have loved and supported me when I didn’t know how to do that for myself. They have taught me how to own my loud and crazy side while still leaving space for the quiet and somber. And they’ve probably challenged me in ways they don’t even know. My family and my close friends have shaped me, and I think I turned out pretty alright…
Early in my life, I developed a curiosity for people who are different from me, traveling to Nicaragua, Vancouver, Canada, Guatemala, and other places that were just around my community. I continued traveling to a small rural village called Chontala in Guatemala throughout my time in college. My travels to Chontala have shaped my understanding of myself and the way I view people from different backgrounds. Each new person has a unique story to tell. I see it as my privilege and honor to listen and to learn from these stories.
In December of 2013 I earned a master’s degree in Social Work with a focus on Social Policy and Administration from the Florida State University! While in school I worked at various jobs and internships that served to deepen my understanding of people from diverse backgrounds. I spent a couple of summers as a youth counselor at Warren W. Willis Camp, served as a research assistant with the Institute for family Violence Studies at FSU, and worked as an intern and volunteer coordinator at the Big Bend Homeless Coalition. I am currently employed by St. Luke’s United Methodist Church as the Director of Neighborhood Ministries. In this position I am lucky to have my dream job, connecting two groups of very different people together to work toward a common goal: ending poverty and the affects it has on folks with a low income. I work with the residents of East Winter Garden to make positive improvements in their neighborhood through the help of volunteers from St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. There are many pieces to this work, but in general we focus on Educational Support, Family Economic Stability, Safe and Secure Housing, and Neighborhood Health and Well-being.
When I’m not living the dream with the residents of East Winter Garden, I enjoy reading, riding my bike, playing volleyball, and traveling.
As weird as it sounds, I am excited to be partnered with Crave because I don’t think I fully understand what’s going on yet. Mysterious, nebulous things excite me; it feels like I get to help shape them. I do hope to eventually understand how Crave will help me end poverty in East Winter Garden and maybe, if it’s possible, help me translate the work I’ve been doing to more communities in Orlando, Central Florida and as far as is feasible. Goddess knows I need all the help I can get.
