What better time than the week of Give Miami Day to do a little bragging about our recent successes in 3 items below. And if you like what we are doing, join a cleanup at www.VolunteerCleanup.Org, or you can give us a virtual high-five by making a donation anytime before tomorrow (Thursday Nov 16) at 11:59p for Give Miami Day (there is a DOUBLE match opportunity – both from Miami Foundation and a very generous match from one of our donors – so effectively $25 turns into $75). And while you are there, take a look around and discover some of the many amazing non-profits worth your time and/or financial support.
1) International Coastal Cleanup Day Miami-Dade in September was a raging success where 2,997 volunteers came out and removed 22,223 pounds of trash and debris from 58 locations all across Miami-Dade County. Some highlights:
- One of our sponsors (The Brady Hunter Foundation) donated funds to pay for and give away 2,000 Biscayne Bay Specialty License Plates (you can still get a FREE plate for your car here),
- Mayor Daniella Levine Cava released a recovered Pelican she appropriately named Brady (thanks for all you do Pelican Harbor Seabird Station)
- Our 2023 ICC Post-Event Survey results continue to demonstrate that cleanups have a powerful impact on awareness, education, and behavior – and that our work really matters
- You can still order your 2023 ICC Leafy Sea Dragon Shirt
2) News Flash – We are LEGENDARY !! – and it’s not just us saying it. In the past 2 months:
- The Miami Dolphins awarded us with a Local Legends Award in front of 60,000 screaming fans (Dara had to resist the urge to do a running cartwheel onto the field)
- Florida Department of Environmental Protection awarded us with their 2023 Environmental Stewardship award for our actions on Marine Debris and advocacy for new state-wide stormwater rules
- The Miami Herald wrote a great 2 page feature story on our decade of work: “How cleanups along Miami’s waterways have led to a team effort, environmental changes“. They included 3 of our favorite photos.
- Louis Aguirre with Local 10 News did a deep dive segment on our Corporate Days Of Service (And Successes), and highlighted one of our ‘Corporate Day of Service’ customers who eliminated 23 TONS of plastic from their operations (!!!!) after doing a cleanup with us, demonstrating the extent to which participating in a cleanup can lead to impactful changes in business practices and the important role that business play in solving the marine debris crisis
3) We’re Hiring.!. We recently received a very generous 2-year ‘Capacity Building’ grant from the Miami Foundation. We will be using this to fund expansion in our current South Florida market, with greater plans to expand our programs state-wide. We are looking for an enthusiastic Part-Time or Full-Time staff member with leadership qualities looking to make a positive impact in the world and grow with our organization. If you are interested, or know anyone, find more details and apply here.
Thanks,
Dara and Dave – VolunteerCleanup.Org