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San Diego Oceans Foundation

Organization Spotlight

By Christina Orlovsky
San Diego Oceans Foundation

Living in a seaside city certainly has its benefits — but only if the oceanfront community supports its seas. That’s where the San Diego Oceans Foundation comes in. Since 1984, the nonprofit organization has been encouraging San Diegans to actively support San Diego’s shores.

“For the past 24 years, the San Diego Oceans Foundation (SDOF) has been providing meaningful hands-on opportunities for members of the community to actively participate in pollution prevention and ocean stewardship,” explains John Valencia, executive director of SDOF. “SDOF is unique because unlike other ocean-related nonprofits, our support includes both fisherman and environmentalists, and our programs are geared to support our mission of stewardship and sustainability.”

Through initiatives such as the White Sea Bass Restoration Project, which helps sustain the population of the fish, to education and youth enrichment programs, the SDOF provides a variety of opportunities to learn as well as to volunteer. “Whether volunteers are interested in helping to raise and release white sea bass, hike our canyons, clean our beaches, stencil storm drains, help take underprivileged kids snorkeling, clean the harbor, help with special events or even provide office help, the San Diego Ocean Foundation has many programs that get people involved,” Valencia adds. “Our programs are always evolving to fill the needs of our community.”

No matter how people choose to help, Valencia assures that the effort will be worth it.

“The most rewarding part of working for SDOF is meeting and working with people that share a passion for the ocean,” he says. “With the rising problems of global warming and pollution, it is wonderful to see volunteers from our community actively engaged in saving our oceans. All of our supporters and members have their own reason as to why the ocean is special to them, but we all share a connection as it is San Diego’s finest resource.”

This month, SDOF hosts its annual fund-raiser gala onboard the Inspiration Hornblower. The event, which features a cocktail reception, seated dinner, live entertainment, underwater photo competition and silent auction, benefits the organizations multitude of programs. September 27, 5 to 9 p.m. For tickets or information on how to volunteer for the San Diego Oceans Foundation, call 619-523-1903 or visit www.sdoceans.org.