Living Coast Discovery Center Raises Record-Breaking $96,000 at Annual Farm to Bay Event
CHULA VISTA, CALIF. – The Living Coast Discovery Center, a nonprofit zoo and aquarium on the southern edge of San Diego Bay in Chula Vista, announced today that it raised $96,000 in net proceeds at its annual Farm to Bay event on Aug. 8, making it the most successful fundraiser in the center’s history.
The funds were generated through a combination of sponsorships, ticket sales, auction proceeds and Raise the Paddle donations and will be used to support coastal wildlife, education and sustainability programs at the Living Coast throughout the year.
Sponsors included SDG&E, UTC Aerospace Systems–Aerostructures, Unified Port of San Diego, Sprouts Farmers Market–Chula Vista and Eastlake, Mission Federal Credit Union, BAE Systems, Baldwin & Sons, Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Republic Services, AT&T, General Dynamics NASSCO, Hoffman Hanono Insurance, Kathleen and Ben Vallejos, Miller Hull, Pacifica Companies, Seven Mile Casino, The Securities Center Inc., Waitt Foundation and Wells Fargo.
Over 400 guests attended the event, now in its sixth year, with Chef Nicolas Bour from Loews Coronado Bay Resort serving as culinary chair. Over 40 restaurants, craft breweries, wineries, distilleries and farms participated, including 1500 Ocean at the Hotel Del Coronado, Bread & Cie, Eclipse Chocolate Bar & Bistro, Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara, Kitchen 4140, Suzie’s Farm, Tabletop Commons, Tidal at Paradise Point Resort, Mistral at Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Sushi on a Roll, The Fishery, Truffle Gateau, Viva Pops, Waypoint Public, Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits, Bay Bridge Brewing, Duck Foot Brewing Company, Karl Strauss Brewing Co., Mike Hess Brewing, Rough Draft Brewing Co., The Lost Abbey, California Fruit Wines, Quigley Fine Wines, Wiens Family Cellars, Azunzia Tequila, Greenbar Craft Distillery, Kill Devil Spirit Co., Kindred Distilled Spirits, Old Harbor Distillery, Agave Coffee and Café, Cool Down Coffee, Rubio’s Coastal Grill, Sprouts Farmers Market–Chula Vista and Eastlake, Trader Joe’s Eastlake and Zico Premium Coconut Water.
Farm to Bay is the only San Diego tasting event set within a protected national wildlife refuge, where guests can enjoy a unique, intimate nature and wildlife experience alongside dozens of native species.
In keeping with the Living Coast’s commitment to the environment, the Farm to Bay Event Committee, led by the City of Chula Vista Sustainability Task Force, has taken the necessary steps towards producing a zero-waste event. This year, as a result of their efforts, 86 percent of event waste was recycled or composted and diverted from landfills. The team continues to build upon its successes each year by utilizing more earth-friendly materials and processes. Since 2013, overall waste has been reduced by 57 percent (819 pounds).
About the Living Coast Discovery Center
The Living Coast Discovery Center, a 501(c) 3 educational zoo and aquarium located within the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge on Sweetwater Marsh, began operating as a non-profit in 2010 after assuming operations of the Chula Vista Nature Center. The Living Coast Discovery Center offers hands-on exhibits and up-close encounters with more than 350 plant and animal species native to Southern California coastal habitats, including endangered sea turtles, sting rays, leopard sharks, jellies, shorebirds, reptiles and a large collection of raptors such as hawks, falcons, owls, American bald eagle, golden eagle, and more. More information about the Living Coast Discovery Center is available at www.thelivingcoast.org or (619) 409-5900.
