change should help develop solutions. This Big Idea builds individual leaders who are passionate about the environment and forms partnerships with decision-makers. Together, they advocate for their neighbors and secure funding and resources that might not otherwise reach the Pajaro Valley. Regeneración also partners with researchers at CSU Monterey Bay and UC Santa Cruz to study issues like air quality, inviting people on the front line of the climate crisis to be part of the solution. “We—the entire Pajaro community—have learned a lot from Regeneración presentations. They’ve been very important to me. Before, no one took us into account, but now you have many plans, and that makes us very happy.” -Mercedes P., translated from Spanish SAVE OUR SHORES (SOS) Year Founded: 1980 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 6 paid, 5,000 volunteers Budget: $672,595 (831) 462-5660 saveourshores.org BIG IDEA: The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is breathtaking, but Save Our Shores reminds us that thousands of pounds of waste enter the sanctuary every year. Sanctuary Stewards lead coastal cleanups with SOS, and 14 new stewards joined the effort in the past year. Donations to this Big Idea help SOS ride that wave of support, funding the training and equipping of 20 new bilingual Sanctuary Stewards who will remove more than 15,000 pounds of debris. “Save Our Shores connects me with the Monterey Bay and my Peninsula community, whether I am leading beach cleanups, organizing voters to protect the marine sanctuary or helping kids learn to care for the coast. Collaborating with Save Our Shores at events like Whalefest, the Big Sur Marathon and Coastal Cleanup Day allows me to teach, learn and contribute. Save Our Shores brings all of Monterey Bay together.” -Kate Egerton WATSONVILLE WETLANDS WATCH Year Founded: 1991 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 15 paid, 800 volunteers Budget: $2,951,833 (831) 728-1156 watsonvillewetlandswatch.org BIG IDEA: Did you know local bird identification guides are currently available only in English? Watsonville Wetlands Watch has a Big Idea to get more people involved in birding, including Spanishspeaking families in the Pajaro Valley. The nonprofit has developed a bilingual Monterey Bay Area pocket bird guide with local experts, and will involve families in planting and nurturing native plants and trees to expand habitat for their new bird friends. “Inspired by my internship with the Watsonville Wetlands Watch, I hope to continue mentoring the community. My goal is to inspire those around me to understand that every small action matters. By combining education and hands-on experiences, I aim to cultivate a community that values, and actively protects, the very ecosystems that sustain and define it.” -Jesus Heredia, 18 122 Monterey County GIVES! 2026 mcgives.com ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY DONATE ONLINE MCGIVES.COM “My goal is to inspire those around me to understand that every small action matters.” -Jesus Heredia, Watsonville Wetlands Watch VENTANA WILDERNESS ALLIANCE Year Founded: 2000 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 11 paid, 145 volunteers Budget: $1,033,657 (831) 423-3191 ventanawild.org BIG IDEA: The federal government has the authority to designate wilderness areas, places where you “can find a sense of true self-reliance and experience solitude.” The Ventana Wilderness Alliance helped win that protection in 2002, adding 30,000 acres of designated wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest. Today, its Big Idea puts resources into the Big Sur backcountry, training trail crews who restore access to iconic places like the Pine Ridge Trail and supporting Trailhead Ambassadors and Volunteer Rangers who educate visitors on fire safety and Leave No Trace principles. “I support Ventana Wilderness Alliance because it is the model of a regional conservation organization. They fight for more protective policies by partnering with the U.S. Forest Service and engaging with elected officials. VWA also does real, on-theground stewardship work to take care of the land. On top of that, I love their Youth in Wilderness program because it is educating and inspiring future generations of wilderness advocates and stewards.” -Vicky Hoover SPOTLIGHT
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