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Category: Win Jar

PHOTO-2026-04-20-14-21-18
Win Jar
April 22, 2026

Dara Wins the Community Spirit Award

Celebrating Dara Schoenwald

Honored with the Community Spirit Award at Miami-Dade's 37th Annual In the Company of Women Ceremony

We are overjoyed to share some truly wonderful news: our co-founder, Dara Schoenwald, has been awarded the Community Spirit Award at the prestigious 37th Annual In the Company of Women awards ceremony, presented by Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces in partnership with the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade and the Miami-Dade Commission for Women.

Held each March to honor Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, this ceremony has recognized trailblazing women in Miami-Dade County for nearly four decades — counting among its past honorees Celia Cruz, Gloria Estefan, and U.S. Congresswomen Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Frederica Wilson. To see Dara’s name added to that legacy is something that fills all of us at VolunteerCleanup.Org with immense pride.

“Women who exemplify professional excellence, visionary leadership, and a commitment to inclusivity” — this year’s recognition perfectly describes the spirit Dara brings to everything she does.

 

Dara’s dedication to community runs deep and wide. As co-founder of VolunteerCleanup.Org, she has channeled her energy into connecting volunteers with the work that keeps our neighborhoods, parks, and natural spaces clean and thriving. But her service doesn’t stop there.

As President of the Rhythm Foundation Board, Dara champions the arts and cultural life of our community. And as an active member of 100 Women Who Care, she joins a circle of women committed to pooling their generosity toward meaningful local causes. Together, these roles paint the picture of someone who shows up — consistently, wholeheartedly, and with joy.

The In the Company of Women Community Spirit Award recognizes individuals who inspire others through their commitment to the greater good. We can think of no one more deserving. Congratulations, Dara — thank you for everything you do, and for reminding us all what it looks like to truly give back.

By Michelle Marrero
Policyt Wins for Q2-06 Newsletter
Win JarActivismGovernment PolicyPlastic Reduction
April 2, 2026

Big Plastic-Free Policy Wins to Scale Impact!

We say it all the time: we can’t clean our way out of this problem. Cleanups create awareness — but policy creates lasting change – so we show up to commission meetings, committee hearings, and legislative offices in Tallahassee. This quarter, we had three significant wins.

City of Miami Beach: Special Event Sustainability Requirements

For nine years — going back to when Dave chaired the City of Miami Beach Sustainability Committee — we’ve been pushing for event organizers to take real responsibility for their waste footprint. We’ve loaned recycling bins. We’ve asked questions at permit hearings. We’ve shown up, again and again, with the same message: world-class events require world-class stewardship. Last month, the Miami Beach City Commission made it official.

New special event guidelines now direct organizers to actively create a Sustainability Plan, including waste reduction and diversion strategies (recycling and composting), designated sustainability program oversight staff, and post-event waste reporting for larger events. See the City of Miami Beach’s Press Release. 

“Miami Beach is a world-class destination, and we expect world-class stewardship to match.” — Mayor Steven Meiner
“These guidelines will actually make it easier for event organizers to meet environmental standards while improving oversight of their private sanitation and waste-hauling services.” — Commissioner Alex Fernandez

This is how marine debris gets prevented — not just cleaned up. Plastic that is never distributed never reaches the ocean.

City of Miami: Eliminates Single-Use Plastics Out of City Contracts, Concessionaires, and Special Events

City of Miami just passed a resolution eliminating single-use plastics (to the greatest extent possible) from City contracts, concessions, and special events. This is exactly the kind of upstream intervention that makes a downstream difference in Biscayne Bay.

Mayor Eileen Higgins, who championed this measure, previously pushed through a similar policy at Miami-Dade County when she served as County Commissioner — and we worked alongside her then, too. Seeing this become City of Miami policy is deeply satisfying. See the City of Miami Press Release.

“Miami residents are tired of seeing plastic in our streets, our storm drains, and our waterways, and they are right to demand action.” — Mayor Eileen Higgins

The new policy will apply to future concession contracts and City-run operations, with City concessions transitioning within one year. Every plastic straw, cup, or bag that doesn’t get produced is a win for Biscayne Bay and our Oceans.

State of Florida: The Loss That Was a Win

We spent days in Tallahassee lobbying with our friends from Clean Miami Beach, Florida Springs Council, Oceana, and Surfrider for SB 240 — Florida’s Marine Debris Reduction Bill. Senator Ileana Garcia, Senator Carlos Smith, Rep. Meg Weinberger, and Rep. Fabian Basabe carried the bill with real commitment.

The bill didn’t pass — but we didn’t lose either. Two worse pro-plastic bills (some would say, anti-turtle) never even got a hearing.

Honestly, I think the legislators were confused by all of it, so they chose to do nothing. That’s not failure — that’s defense.

SB 240 would have:

  • Created Florida’s first Marine Debris Reduction Plan
  • Protected local plastic and foam rules
  • Directed action in state parks
  • Created a uniform statewide policy that cities could adopt
We’ll be back next session. This fight isn’t going anywhere.

 

By Dave
IMG_1363
Win Jar
November 20, 2025

Volunteer of the Quarter by Miami-Dade County Parks!

We’re thrilled to share that VolunteerCleanup.Org has been selected as the Volunteer of the Quarter by the Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department’s Volunteers in Parks (VIP) Program.

This recognition means a great deal to us, and we’re honored that our ongoing collaboration with Miami-Dade County Parks continues to make a meaningful impact across the region.

🌍 A Year of Impact: FY 2024–2025 Highlights

Our team proudly partnered with the VIP Program to coordinate Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC)—a global, single-day coastal cleanup initiative. This year, we led the effort for the entire South Florida region, organizing cleanups across 16 Miami-Dade County PROS locations.

ICC Day Results

  • 700+ volunteers participated

  • 1,500+ volunteer hours completed

  • 6,000+ pounds of marine debris removed — in a single day

Year-Round Cleanup Efforts

Beyond ICC Day, we continued working closely with the VIP Program throughout the 2024–2025 fiscal year:

  • 23 cleanup events hosted with PROS

  • 952 volunteers engaged

  • 1,876 total volunteer hours contributed

  • 6,697 pounds of debris removed

Using national averages from the Value of Volunteer Time Report (Independent Sector), these volunteer hours represent a labor cost savings of $59,657 for Miami-Dade County Parks.

We are immensely proud of the volunteers who made this possible—and grateful to the VIP Program for recognizing the value and impact of our shared mission.

By Michelle Marrero
thumbnail_image002
Win JarActivismGovernment PolicyPlastic Reduction
November 19, 2025

VICTORY! Senate Committee Unanimously Passes SB240 – Florida’s Marine Debris Reduction Bill

SB 240 Passes Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee — Unanimously!

We’re thrilled to announce that SB 240 — a game-changing bill to reduce marine debris across Florida — passed its first Senate hurdle with unanimous support from the Environment and Natural Resources Committee!

This bill is a big step forward in the fight to keep plastic pollution out of Florida’s waters, wildlife, and stormwater systems.

What’s in SB 240:

  • Creates Florida’s first-ever Marine Debris Reduction Plan
  • Keeps existing local foam and plastic rules in place
  • Directs DEP to regulate single-use containers in state parks
  • Directs the state to create a uniform policy cities can adopt

It’s a win for clean water and a win for policy consistency, balancing what businesses have asked for with what our environment desperately needs. You can read the full bill here. 

Our Champions Deserve Thanks – We are incredibly grateful to:

Their leadership shows that protecting Florida’s waters is a shared value — not a partisan issue. I encourage you to send them a pre-populated ‘Thank You’ email by clicking on their names above (it will literally take you 30 seconds, but makes a world of difference).

What Dave Told the Committee – 

“Removing plastic — especially foam — from the water is expensive, tedious work. The cheapest, easiest, and most effective solution is to keep it out in the first place. For years, there’s been a tug-of-war between businesses and environmental advocates over local plastic restrictions. SB 240 shifts the focus away from banning specific items and toward marine debris prevention — especially in sensitive coastal areas. This bill strikes a bipartisan, practical balance between business clarity and protection for Florida’s waterways.” You can watch the entire Committee meeting here. 

👏 Shout Out to Our Coalition Partners

This wasn’t a solo effort, but a collaboration between organizations who leveraged personal connections, expertise, social media and action alerts.  Thank you to:

  • VolunteerCleanup.Org
  • Biscayne Bay Marine Health Coalition
  • Oceana
  • Florida Springs Council
  • Surfrider Foundation
  • Sea Turtle Conservancy
  • Sierra Club

Keep an eye out over the next few months — we will need you to make phone calls to your legislators in support of SB 240 and the companion House bill (pending release).

Let’s Keep Florida Beautiful -Foam doesn’t belong in our oceans. Plastic doesn’t belong in our springs. Together, we can stop marine debris at the source.

Thanks for standing with us.!.

Ready for Capital
Ready for Capital
With our partners: Florida Springs Council, Oceana, and Surfrider
With our partners: Florida Springs Council, Oceana, and Surfrider
Dave with Senator Ileana Garcia!
Dave with Senator Ileana Garcia!
By Michelle Marrero
icc2025-recap-video
BEACHDONATIONUncategorizedWin Jar
September 26, 2025

Results of 2025 International Coastal Cleanup Miami-Dade

Photo Credit @plasticfisherman

When your morning starts off with rainbows, you know it is going to be a good day.!.

#MiamiCleanup2025 was a Massive Success!

  • 3,000+ volunteers
  • 25,000+ pounds of trash
  • 68 cleanup sites across Miami-Dade County

While this cleanup marks our 11th year of organizing Miami-Dade’s involvement in this annual global event, it is the network of organizations who lead the individual cleanups in the program that make this event an incredible success. We are sending a huge shoutout to all the amazing Site Captains who led their teams with dedication, and all the Volunteers who participated.

These organizations are leading cleanups throughout the year, because EVERY DAY IS CLEANUP DAY in Miami.

IMPACT REPORT

At VolunteerCleanup.org, we know that cleanups are not the long-term solution to the marine debris problem. While counting the number of volunteers and pounds of trash removed are obvious metrics to indicate a successful ICC, we are mostly interested about the extent to which this educational experience inspires individual, business and government changes necessary to address the root causes of plastic in our oceans.

In an attempt to answer these questions, we survey ICC volunteers to better understand how the cleanup is impacting attitudes, mindsets and behavior. Here are some of the highlights from our survey to this year’s ICC participants:

  • We are reaching new people: 40% of respondents indicated that this was their FIRST time participating in a cleanup, so we know that we are NOT just preaching to the choir.
  • Miamians are concerned about plastic pollution: This was the single most important motivation driving volunteer participation, ahead of the warm fuzzies you get from volunteering or needing community service hours.
  • Cleanups, while not the answer to the plastic ocean crisis, are an important educational experience that are a catalyst for behavior change: As a result of participating in the cleanup 71% of respondents reported a notable increase in their knowledge about the topic.
  • Cleanups are a steppingstone to further action!: 87% felt inspired to take further action on this issue, 68% said they would join another cleanup and 61% committed to using less single use plastics!

We’d like to thank the below funding partners and this years inaugural Trashathon sponsors who are making a per-pound pledge to support this high-impact annual event. We are grateful for their commitment to our community and clean water.

View the Program Booklet
Buy an ICC Shirt or Rashguard

Our local eco-reporter hero – Louis Aguirre – did a great recap segment on ICC with footage and interviews collected from many of the 68 cleanup locations. Did your site captain get you in the video? Watch and share the recap, and set your alarm to watch the Emmy Award Winning “Don’t Trash Our Treasure” segment every Wednesday at 10pm on Local 10 News.

ICC 2025 Videos

2 Videos
By Dave
St Dalfours eliminates 23 tons of plastics
ActivismBusiness ChangesPlastic ReductionWin Jar
November 6, 2023

Our Corporate Days Of Service (And Successes) Featured On Local 10 News​

Our Corporate Days Of Service (And Successes) Featured On Local 10 News​

Our good friend, Emmy award-winning journalist – Louis Aguirre – from Local 10 News did a great segment on our Corporate Days of Service and the resulting impact. I noted some of my favorite comments below the video.

Here are some of my favorite clips:

– The impact from these opportunities of service go way beyond the doing. It’s what those team members will take back home with that that will really have a lasting impression. “We’re not only looking for what individuals can do to be a part of solving the marine debris problem, but also the role of business and how the business can produce less single use plastics that they then put out onto the market,” Doebler said.

– When Doebler hosted a cleanup for St. Dalfour Fruit Spreads, the employees were so impacted by what they experienced, the company removed with the plastic, tamper-proof seal on 60% of its products, resulting in 23 tons of reduced plastic waste.

– It’s a shift, and now the onus is on DirecTV. “I would challenge whoever does the manufacturing,” Doebler said. “Are they coming in plastic bags? Are they coming in styrofoam? Can we shift to something that is more biodegradable?”

Team members were already showing signs of inspiration. “Just being conscious about what kind of materials we’re using in our packaging,” said Banda. “If we have the ability to use some sort of biodegradable equipment, or even have a recycling program set in place when customers are done with that equipment, they can recycle it afterwards.”

Doebler said the goal is to get these corporations to see that they’re not giving consumers a lot of choice. Most every product comes packaged in some kind of plastic. What these experiences challenge the business to do is to reduce the amount of single-use plastic in products so the consumer doesn’t have to throw away so much trash.

By Dave
Miami Dolphins Award Local Legends to Doebler and Schoenwald
ActivismWin Jar
October 17, 2023

We are LEGENDARY.!.

We are Legendary.!.

Dara and I were honored to receive the Miami Dolphins “Local Legend Award” on Oct 15, 2023. Video of us on the Jumbo-tron below.

“During the 2023 Season, the Miami Dolphins and Truist are partnering to celebrate our South Florida ‘Local Legends’. These first responders, teachers, coaches, neighbors, and beyond make our communities a better place through simple, yet heroic, actions. They impact our lives in unexpected and life-changing ways, and we want to recognize the way they care for those around them.”

We were invited to come watch the game in amazing seats, then went on the field during the 3rd quarter (where got a front row view of a very exciting touchdown), saw our work on the Jumbo-tron, and a very excited T.D. the Dolphin gave us a super cool ‘Legend’ jersey (I imagine because TD doesn’t like plastic in his fish). Thanks for the tremendous honor Miami Dolphins and Truist – That was a lot of fun….

Miami Dolphins Award Local Legends to Doebler and Schoenwald

By Dave
2023-ICC-Results
Individual BehaviorsUncategorizedWin Jar
October 2, 2023

ICC 2023 Results are In.!.

RESULTS ARE IN for the annual county-wide International Coastal Cleanup Miami-Dade last Saturday, September 16th, 2023 where 2,929 volunteers collected 22,233 pounds of trash from 58 cleanups around the County.

While we organize Miami-Dade’s involvement in this annual global event, it is the network of organizations who lead the individual cleanups in the program and our partners and sponsors that really help to make this event an incredible success. Thank you all for being a part of it and thank you to the volunteers who came out to make a difference.

2023-ICC-Results

OUR SPONSORS – We would like to especially thank our sponsors who support this program with funding and sweat equity (they all came out to clean!). This event was presented by Covanta and Boucher Brothers, with additional support from Blackstone Charitable Foundation, The Brady Hunter Foundation, Benjamin & Gloria Joannou, Jr. Family Conservation Fund, City of Miami Beach, The Miami Foundation, Loud And Live, and Miami-Dade County RER-DERM.

ICC-2023-Banner

WERE YOU ON TV? Site captains from all over the County submitted video and interviews for Louis Aguirre  ‘Don’t Trash Our Treasure’ segment on WPLG Local 10 News (Channel 10). Here is the link in case you missed it. https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/09/20/volunteers-step-up-across-south-florida-on-international-coastal-cleanup-day/.

And make sure to watch his weekly segment every Wednesday’s Local 10 News from 5-6pm where he focuses on local environmental issues.

louis_dont_trash_our_treasure

GET YOUR FREE SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATE – The Brady Hunter Foundation generously purchased vouchers for 2,000 Biscayne Bay specialty license plates dedicated to restoring our blue gem and is giving them away to our volunteers. Let’s get these beauties onto your cars and boat trailers!  It is first come, first serve, so please don’t be shy. Get your FREE Biscayne Bay Specialty License plate for your car here: https://miamifoundation.org/biscaynebay/ (car not included!)

Biscayne-Bay-Voucher-Tracker

BRADY THE PELICAN – We were really excited to bring Pelican Harbor Seabird Station into this years ICC, and The Brady Hunter Foundation generously offered $.50 per pound of trash collected from the 58 locations. Because of YOUR hard work, the foundation will donate $11,116 to support the seabird hospital, and our County Mayor (and Water Warrior) Daniella Levine Cava suggested to name this rehabilitated Pelican ‘Brady’ before releasing it back into the wild. Brady spent 6 weeks being treated for injuries and a nasty infection due to fishing line entanglement.

Brady-the-Pelican-Release

ORDER YOUR 2023 ICC SHIRT – You still have time to get this years shirt with the Leafy Sea Dragon. Fun fact – As with its seahorse kin, a male leafy sea dragon carries its mate’s eggs until the eggs hatch. https://www.bonfire.com/2022-miami-icc-2/

By Dave
DEP-2023-Environmental-Stewardship-Award
ActivismGovernment PolicyWin Jar
September 30, 2023

Florida DEP ‘2023 Environmental Stewardship Award Goes To….

Florida DEP ‘2023 Environmental Stewardship Award Goes To….

We were thrilled to receive the Florida Department of Environmental Protections ‘2023 Environmental Stewardship’ award from Jason Andreotta, Assistant Deputy Secretory of Regulatory Programs for Florida DEP.

For the past year, I we have shown up at dozens of meetings and conferences to raise awareness for the need for more stringent regulations on stormwater design and maintenance as a way to reduce the amount of plastic debris and nutrients that make their way out to our waterways. This persistent advocacy has led to significant new requirements in the upcoming MS4 Stormwater Permits that will affect all municipalities across the state.!. Kudos to Florida DEP for listening.!.

Rule #1 – Always show up
Rule #2 – Never go away

DEP-2023-Environmental-Stewardship-Award

By Dave
Walgreens_on_5th_dumpster
ActivismBusiness ChangesWin Jar
January 16, 2023

The power of customer feedback

A small win is actually a big win. For years, a popular chain drug store in Miami Beach had a dumpster in their parking lot for their boxes and waste. They must have spent thousands of dollars for this roll-away, and it was such as shame to see all that cardboard entering the landfill (they didn’t even flatten the boxes to save space and reduce the number of pickups they needed). On 2 separate occasions, I filled out the customer survey on the receipt and shared my thoughts and the negative impression I had on their business, especially when another store of the same chain a mere 7 blocks away bundled the cardboard nicely. Apparently they read those surveys, because now they got rid of the dumpster and are bundling their cardboard.!. One for the win jar.!. See Something, Say Something.

By Dave