Living Coast Discovery Center Breaks Fundraising, Sustainability Records at 2022 Farm to Bay
CHULA VISTA, CALIF. – The Living Coast Discovery Center, a nonprofit zoo/aquarium located on San Diego Bay in Chula Vista, raised $137,000 in net proceeds at its 13th annual Farm to Bay event on Saturday, August 6. The sold out fundraiser broke the event’s previous record set at $114,000 in 2019. The funds, raised through a combination of sponsorships, ticket sales, auction proceeds, and Raise the Paddle donations, will be used to support coastal wildlife conservation, education and sustainability programs throughout the year. Additionally, the Living Coast Sustainability Team reported that 96 percent of event waste was diverted from the landfill, the highest waste diversion rate in the event’s 13-year history. The 300+ person event only generated 14.3 pounds of trash, equating to 1.5 kitchen garbage bags. The City of Chula Vista’s commercial composting facility and the use of many reusable and/or compostable items during the event contributed to this success. In keeping with the organization’s environmental mission, the Living Coast takes steps each year towards producing a Zero-Waste event by working closely with its partners to reduce overall waste and offer earth-friendly materials. Event waste is hand-sorted and composted on-site by a team of volunteer master composters. “As always, we are grateful for the incredible support for this event, which enables us to fulfill our mission to inspire the community to connect with and care for our coastal environment,” said Executive Director Ben Vallejos.
Event sponsors included Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay and Seven Mile Casino (presenting sponsors), Marine Group Boat Works, MissionFed Credit Union, Republic Services, SDG&E, Sprouts Farmers Market – Chula Vista and Eastlake, Baldwin & Sons, City of Chula Vista Office of Sustainability, Cox Communications, Port of San Diego, The Lewis Group Inc., BAE Systems, Hoffman Hanono Insurance Services, Jim Biddle, Miller Hull, North Island Credit Union, San Diego Foundation, Southwestern College and Verizon.
About Living Coast Discovery Center
The Living Coast Discovery Center, a 501(c)3 educational zoo and aquarium located within the San Diego Bay 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 plant and animal species native to Southern California, including sea turtles, leopard sharks, reptiles and a large collection of raptors such as hawks, falcons, owls, eagles, and more. More information about the Living Coast Discovery Center is available at www.thelivingcoast.org or (619) 409-5900. For the latest updates, follow the Living Coast on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
