For centuries, the coral reefs have been the very lifeblood of the @unitedwayofcollierandthekeys community 🪸🤿 Today, less than 2% of healthy coral cover remains due to damage from hurricanes, disease, and human interaction. As a result, NOAA and partners identified seven iconic coral reefs as the starting point for a bold, ambitious plan, Mission: Iconic Reefs, to restore the Florida Keys highly diverse and economically valuable marine ecosystem. These sites represent what was once the best of the Florida Keys and will demonstrate how restoration can support a vibrant, sustainable, local economy. This new approach will change the future of the reef and the interdependent Florida Keys community. 🐢🐠 In February of 2020, the United Way of Collier and the Keys (UWCK) announced a $3.5 million gift from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to fund these cutting-edge and innovative projects in reef restoration and education. As the first significant funding towards Mission: Iconic Reefs, the project will catalyze this bold plan to restore and protect seven iconic reefs in the Florida Keys. The UAE’s gift to UWCK is part of the UAE’s pledged $10 million assistance to the State of Florida in response to Hurricane Irma in 2017. With these restoration funds, UWCK’s goal is to restore the coral reefs thereby providing physical and financial safety nets, as well as empowering the next generation to carry this work forward. 🌊