Our Programs
Food Security
According to the USDA, 13.5 million Americans or roughly 10% were food insecure in 2021.
Using the power of aquaponics, our team sustainably grows fresh produce to provide local soup kitchens with a highly nutritious food source. Why do we do this?
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Aquaponics can grow a tremendous amount of food with a fraction of water as well as land that is normally utilized in soil-based agriculture.
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Produce can be grown locally in our communities, providing access to nutritious food, creating jobs, and eliminating the huge carbon footprint associated with transporting food long distances.
Crops such as microgreens are harvested every week by volunteers and delivered on a recurring basis. In addition to fighting food insecurity in South Florida, we are educating the next generation on how to live more eco-friendly lifestyles.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marine Education Initiative noticed how supply-chain disruptions compounded the food security crisis, and thus HyperLocal farms was born to provide reliable and sustainable food in a controlled environment. Our microgreens are sold to local restaurants and hotels. Learn more here:
Responsible Angling Workshop
We use the sport of fishing as a mechanism to teach socio-economically disadvantaged children about their local marine and/or freshwater ecosystems. Kids are taught about marine conservation, the perils of overfishing, invasive species, and ocean pollution.
Disaster Relief
After Hurricane Matthew struck the Bahamas in 2016, we decided to assist our community partners in the Bahamas and the many communities impacted. This effort began with Hurricane Matthew during 2016 in Freeport and Nassau, then onto Hurricane Irma during 2017 in St. John, Virgin Islands and the Florida Keys. In 2019, Hurricane Dorian, a category 5 hurricane, struck Abaco & Freeport, Bahamas. Both of these islands were locations that we had offered our Responsible Angling Education Programs, thus we once again began to send support. We will continue to use our network to encourage others to support relief efforts following these devastating storms especially towards specific marine related initiatives.