"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead
The folks at New York Interconnect (NYI) love New York. NYI proudly represents the No. 1 market in the country by connecting advertisers to over 22 million consumers across every screen, but our work in media is only the beginning. That classic "I Love New York" campaign resonates deeply with NYI, and our team unites throughout the year in service of New York in ways that go beyond business. There are many worthwhile charities and organizations that are integral to the New York area. This week, NYI got together to support one of our favorite initiatives: The Billion Oyster Project!
The Billion Oyster Project is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to restore oyster reefs to the New York Harbor. Oysters used to be plentiful in the harbor, but the population has been largely depleted. Headquartered at Governors Island, the volunteer organization collects oyster shells from city restaurants, cures them and cleans them and then creates artificial reefs. In addition to helping water quality and biodiversity, this restoration also helps protect the shoreline from erosion, flooding and dangerous storm surges. It has set a goal of reaching one billion oysters by 2035!
"We had a great day," said Dana Barakat, NYI’s VP of Marketing and Communications. "Our crew leader was so knowledgeable. I learned so much, not only about how to prepare shells for hatchery, but also about what an important impact this will have on the environment."
The NYI volunteers bypassed their Manhattan offices for the day and instead met at the ferry and took it over to Governors Island where they rolled up their sleeves and traded laptops for oyster brushes to lend their support to the city-wide call to action. The project offers public school students, volunteers, community scientists and restaurants the opportunity to learn more about New York City’s rich oysters history as they lead this movement in the harbor's restoration.
"I'm really proud of my team," said Andrew Kandel, CEO of NYI. "Whether they're creating media solutions for advertisers or stepping outside the office to do their part for the environment, they always give it everything they’ve got. We all enjoyed the day and I know I can speak for all of us when I say that we have the utmost respect for the important work they're doing at the Billion Oyster Project. We're so glad we could help."
Posted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership self-publishing platform.
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