PMMC partners with OC Community Foundation to host Protect and Preserve giving day

Pacific Marine Mammal Center will partner with the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) and six fellow nonprofits on October 7 to host the second annual Protect and Preserve, a Giving Day to sustain the ecosystems of Orange County. 

The 24-hour online effort aims to raise $100,000 for organizations with a shared commitment to environmental education and conservation of natural resources. Many of these organizations have been compromised in their fundraising efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Amid this unparalleled moment in our history, our individual, yet overlapping, causes have not had the luxury of pausing. In fact, the headwinds have only grown stronger, and that has been very apparent here at PMMC. We are in the midst of one of the highest numbers of difficult patient cases ever on record. This has included patients with sea lion cancer, gunshot wounds, harmful algae bloom poisoning, fishing net entanglements, emerging infectious diseases, and more,” said PMMC Chief Executive Officer Peter Chang. 

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Pacific Marine Mammal Center rehabilitates and releases marine mammals 

“Protect and Preserve has taken on a greater meaning than it might have had six months ago, and we are grateful for the platform that Orange County Community Foundation has provided us to partner with these like-minded organizations.”

The seven nonprofits participating in Protect and Preserve include Crystal Cove Conservancy, Get Inspired, Laguna Canyon Foundation, Ocean Defenders Alliance, Ocean Institute, Orange County CoastKeeper, and Pacific Marine Mammal Center.

“The Protect and Preserve Giving Day will provide crucial support to nonprofits working as faithful and knowledgeable stewards of Orange County’s unique ecosystems,” said Shelley Hoss, president and CEO, OCCF. “We are proud to support environmental education and conservation of our natural resources through this fundraising collaboration that provides a lifeline to nonprofits at a crucial time.”

This Giving Day is the latest of a series that, to date, has raised more than $10 million for Orange County nonprofits. OCCF first challenged Orange County residents to “give where their heart lives” during the inaugural ihaertoc Giving Day in 2015, raising more than $1.8 million for 347 participating nonprofits in just 30 hours. In 2018, OCCF restructured iheartoc as an expanded opportunity for nonprofits to connect with one another in support of their shared missions. 

To give online during the Protect and Preserve Giving Day, visit https://protect-and-preserve-giving-day.ocnonprofitcentral.org/. For more information on the Collaborative Giving Days, visit www.oc-cf.org/iheartoc.