A first-time fundraising campaign raises $35,000 to clean up beaches and save baby sea turtles off the coast of Florida.

Campaign Highlight

President and Founding Director, Kendra Cope, recently created the first of its kind “Sea Turtle Friendly” certification and is working with local businesses to encourage conservation, marine-life awareness, and greater environmental sustainability among the area’s very popular hospitality and resort industry. Their virtual fundraising campaign raised $35,000 to clean up the Florida coast and to help businesses eliminate single-use plastics that would otherwise end up on the beach and in the ocean.

Coastal Connections, Inc (CCinc) successfully completed its first major fundraising campaign during the 2020 COVID pandemic, and they’re adapting its approach for a new campaign in 2021.

This summer, they hope to raise another $10,000 to engage supporters of sea turtle conservation. In July / August 2021, CCinc will be using new event registration forms to manage up to 15 Turtle Dig events, which are public education programs that engage and connect participants to sea turtle conservation and current nesting research. Supporters will be able to RSVP for one of the events, participate in-person or virtually, and donate to CCinc. Event guests can also watch the turtle team evaluate a hatched nest to determine its success rate; and release any hatchlings found in the nest back into the ocean. Coastal Connection’s previous fundraising success helps to make this program (and many others) free for all participants.