Downtown Streets Team Member Wins Statewide Photo Contest

SANTA CRUZ, CA - From County of Santa Cruz: Allison Hack has won the Bronze Award in a statewide photography contest to raise awareness about the negative impact of tobacco on California communities. Hack’s prize-winning photo depicts a sunny beach scene with a colorful blanket, sand toys, and sand castles all littered with cigarette butts.

Hack is a member of the Santa Cruz Downtown Streets Team, where she volunteers on local beautification projects. Since May of 2018, Streets Team members have been separating tobacco butts from the other litter they collect and sharing their data with the Tobacco Education Coalition.

“I feel like we spend half of our time picking up cigarette butts,” Hack said. “There are that many! But until recently, I never thought about them ending up in storm drains and the ocean. Working with the Coalition has really raised my awareness.”

“We are so proud of Allison,” said Coalition Co-Chair Rachel Kippen. “It has been incredible working with the entire Streets Team. We estimate that in the past year, they’ve picked up 100,000 cigarette butts in the City of Santa Cruz alone. That’s 100,000 fewer butts leaching toxic chemicals into the environment.”

“I feel like we spend half of our time picking up cigarette butts,” Hack said. “There are that many! But until recently, I never thought about them ending up in storm drains and the ocean. Working with the Coalition has really raised my awareness.” “We are so proud of Allison,” said Coalition Co-Chair Rachel Kippen. “It has been incredible working with the entire Streets Team. We estimate that in the past year, they’ve picked up 100,000 cigarette butts in the City of Santa Cruz alone. That’s 100,000 fewer butts leaching toxic chemicals into the environment.”

Hack was supported in her photography by Gina Orlando of Beyond the Portrait, a non-profit camera sharing program that uses photography to educate and empower those in need. “I loved mentoring Allison through this process,” Orlando said. “I'm really proud of the way she was able to take her passion for photography and her hard work on the Streets Team and combine them into something meaningful for our community. It’s such a well-deserved win!”

“I could never have done this without the Streets Team,” Hack added. “It’s so important for the community to understand that people experiencing homelessness can really succeed if they are given the opportunity. Gina and the Streets Team staff helped me to find this talent that I never knew I had. They go above and beyond for all the members.”

In recognition of her creative, impactful photo, Hack will receive a $100 prize from the California Department of Public Health and be recognized by the Santa Cruz City Council at a future meeting.

“Public awareness is a critical step in holding Big Tobacco responsible for its toxic waste,” Kippen explained. “I’m grateful that we have Allison and her prize-winning photo to help us educate community members. A picture really is worth a thousand words!”