Waterway Advocates Inc

THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES IN ACTION & LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAM, WE INSPIRED INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND CORPORATE PARTNERS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO TAKE ACTION FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. FOLLOWING THE ORGANIZATION'S MASSIVE SUCCESS IN REMOVING OVER 25,000 POUNDS OF LITTER AND DEBRIS FROM OUR ECOSYSTEMS IN OUR FIRST YEAR, HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF MEMBERS MOBILIZED ONCE AGAIN TO PREVENT THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF POLLUTANTS FROM FURTHER IMPACTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND ECOSYSTEMS IN YEAR 2. IN ADDITION TO THE MANY ONGOING VOLUNTEER LITTER CLEANUPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, STAFF MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN DOZENS OF STAFF CLEANUPS THROUGHOUT SOUTH FLORIDA NEIGHBORHOODS AND LOCAL WATERWAYS. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE RESPONDED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND OTHER REPORTS BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION WITH MUNICIPAL LEADERS. WE CONTINUED TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL ADOPT-A-STREET AND ADOPT-A-DRAIN PROGRAMS THAT WERE INITIATED IN YEAR 1. WATERWAY ADVOCATES, INC., UTILIZED ELECTRONIC MEANS LIKE MONTHLY AND ADDITIONAL NEWSLETTERS TO OVER 500 SUBSCRIBERS, AND A WEBSITE WITH AT LEAST 1,905 UNIQUE VISITORS WITHIN THE YEAR, TO MOBILIZE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A VARIETY OF MEANINGFUL ACTION OPPORTUNITIES. SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ENGAGED OVER 2,500 FOLLOWERS COLLECTIVELY, WITH POSTS THAT RECEIVED 107,599 IMPRESSIONS ON FACEBOOK, 151,695 IMPRESSIONS ON TWITTER, AND A REACH TO ALMOST 45,000 PEOPLE AT OUR TWITTER PAGE. SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBSITE PAGES PLAYED AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE DISSEMINATION OF EDUCATIONAL CONTENT REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE, PLASTIC POLLUTION, WATER QUALITY, AND RELEVANT CURRENT EVENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AND VOLUNTEERS COLLABORATED ON EDUCATIONAL WORKBOOK ACTIVITIES AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS THAT ALIGN WITH THE FLORIDA STATE EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. WE ALSO COLLABORATED WITH HUNGER-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTH FLORIDA TO ENGAGE OUR YOUTH WITH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION WORKSHEETS AND RESOURCES. OUR EMPHASIS ON ELECTRONIC ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALSO CULMINATED IN COALITION-LEVEL ACTION ACCOMPLISHMENTS, INCLUDING OUR NATIVE PLANT SIGN-ON LETTER WITH 104 SIGNATORIES FROM ALMOST 90 ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, AND LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE NATION. OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AND VOLUNTEERS ALSO PLANNED THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW INITIATIVE TO IMPLEMENT BUTTERFLY GARDENS, POLLINATION STATIONS, AND NATIVE NATURE HUBS THROUGHOUT BROWARD, MIAMI-DADE, AND PALM BEACH COUNTIES IN FLORIDA, IN YEAR 3, WITH THE GOAL OF ENGAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A HOLISTIC WAY TO FACILITATE A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT. OTHER PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: COMMUNITY CLEANUPS IN UNIQUE LOCATIONS, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOODS, PARKS, STREETS, BEACHES, PARKING LOTS, ALLEYWAYS, MANGROVE PRESERVES, AND BEYOND; ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY THROUGH SIGN-ON LETTERS AND COALITION INITIATIVES; FIELD EXPERIENCE EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS; COORDINATION WITH LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TO RESOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND REPORTS; AND, THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND EXPERIENCES THAT ALIGN WITH FLORIDA STATE EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS.