beachLIFE 2020 Issue 14 | Page 101

F ive years ago, the leadership of 360 Blue founded The Sonder Project, a nonprofit seeking to strengthen communities worldwide through education, food security, well-drilling and school-building initiatives. It was a bold move that has produced profound results. In that time, The Sonder Project’s local and global efforts have led to the construction of nine schools, allowing for a daily attendance of 1,717 students. They’ve installed 11 water pumps, established two irrigated community farms and three community gardens. Closer to home, The Sonder Project has led hurricane recovery efforts in Panama City, Florida and the surrounding communities, helping over 218 households with significant home repairs. All of this, of course, takes money. With The Last Word, the beachLIFE staff asks that you consider making a donation by visiting thesonderproject.org. For more information on events, email [email protected]. This year, The Sonder Project is expanding operations to Malawi in southeastern Africa. They know the country well, having built a school there in 2017. The expansion, however, will allow them to have a team on the ground. This is critical, as Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 171 out of 188 countries on the U.N. Human Development Index. With this in mind, it’s important to note that all of The Sonder Project’s administrative costs are covered by 360 Blue. Why does this matter? Because every dollar you donate goes directly to aid. Every dollar helps repair a storm-damaged home in Panama City. Every dollar is dedicated to drilling a well in Burkina Faso or to build a school in Malawi.