Tarpon, a Trauma Informed Community

Robin Saenger, founding director of Peace 4 Tarpon, served as the Vice Mayor of Tarpon Springs before she decided to pursue a passion she had developed for bringing education and awareness to the community.

The group's purpose is to make Tarpon Springs a trauma informed community through education and facilitation of organizations that are already in place like the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Suncoast and the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art. 

When Saenger started the organization, she had to define "trauma" and ended up finding a wide variety of experiences that would cause it. From violence to crime and from poverty to bullying, the list of traumatic experiences may come as a surprise to some. 

Saenger said that the cause of trauma is different for every individual.

Peace 4 Tarpon utilizes solid resources through a number of local partners:

• Juvenile Welfare Board
• Ex-Offender Re-Entry Coalition
• 211 - Tampa Bay Cares
• Directions for Mental Health
• Home Share Program
• Center for Religious Tolerance
• Citizen Alliance for Progress
• City of Tarpon Springs
• Tarpon Springs Housing Authority
• The Shepherd Center
• First United Methodist Church
• Florida Hospital North Pinellas
• Church on the Bayou
• Tarpon Springs Police Department
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Tarpon Springs
• St. Petersburg College
• Tarpon Springs Fire Rescue
• Eckerd Community Alternatives
• Tarpon Springs Elementary School
• St. Timothy Lutheran Church
• The Haven of RCS
• Pinellas County Schools: Get Engaged in Education
• Suncoast Center Inc.

Each partner has a role within the non-profit, and their letters of connection can be seen here. 

"I figured if we could look at ourselves as a big neighborhood that we could actually work together," Saenger explained.

The aftermath of trauma is where the conflict lies, according to Saenger. That's where the peace part comes in.

By treating the root of the trauma, Saenger said that residents can enjoy a peaceful state that would not be achievable otherwise.

Although Peace 4 Tarpon was only brought to life just two years ago, it has gained national recognition with multiple states observing the progression of the functioning model. 

Due to the organization's unique structure, Saenger confirmed that it is the first of its kind in the United States. Mayor of Tarpon Springs David O. Archie was invited to Washington, DC, to share the group's mission on a federal level.
The model grows on a daily basis and Saenger said that the evolution has been speedy since the launch last year.

Through Peace 4 Tarpon, the goal is to create a community of peaceful, healthy families that are equipped with the tools to handle traumatic experiences and their side effects.

"We are going to continue to bring trauma into the open," said Saenger. "The community at large can learn how to create a different future."

How to Get Involved

Peace 4 Tarpon attends local events and community members are encouraged to get involved. A list of upcoming meetings and classes can found on the group's website, while the Peace 4 Tarpon Facebook page is another useful source of information.

In addition, on the last Friday of every month, the public is invited to join the committee meetings at Tarpon Springs City Hall starting at 9 a.m.

Connect with Peace 4 Tarpon

To get in touch with a representative from the Peace 4 Tarpon organization, email Robin Saenger at robinsaenger@hotmail.com or fill out a contact form on the group's website.