Home | Adopt-a-Beach™
We’re excited you’re interested in becoming part of the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Adopt-a-Beach™ program -- it's a fun and easy way to help keep the Great Lakes healthy!
Adopt-a-Beach™ OverviewSchools, families, businesses and community groups adopt beaches and shoreline areas in their local community to conduct litter removal and monitoring, and water quality data collection. Adopters work with the Alliance to locate a beach to adopt, log the information they gather into our online system and use it for pollution prevention, educational purposes and to make real-world improvements for our beaches and shorelines.
As an adopter, we encourage your commitment to at least one beach visit a year, but we prefer teams that can commit to multiple visits. At each visit, you will complete the litter monitoring and beach health assessment forms. Once you’re done with the beach visit and have incubated your water test (provided by the Alliance), report these findings to the Alliance using our online data entry system and return any sign-in sheets/waiver-liability sheets to us by mail to the Chicago office -- or you can scan and email to your state coordinator.
Become an Adopt-a-Beach™ Team Leader To become a team leader you must create an account in the new online system and schedule an event. Click here to learn how.
TrainingWe strongly encourage all new adopters to receive training. To accommodate adopters throughout the region, we have developed a monthly web-based training schedule. We periodically offer in-person trainings. For details and to RSVP to an upcoming training, visit www.greatlakes.org/adoptabeachtrainings.
Visit DatesPlease give us at least two weeks' notice of your date so we have adequate time to mail you a water testing kit. Informing us of your visit dates and sticking to them is critical as the water kits expire after a certain amount of time.
Online ResourcesWe provide you with resources to make this an easy and fun way for you to give back to the Great Lakes. Below are some online resources for you to review. You will find it helpful to watch the short videos, read the Adopt-a-Beach™ Guide, and peruse the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Adopt-a-Beach™ Videos Includes a highlights video and training videos on water testing and measuring the longshore current. The highlights video is a great way to get your volunteers excited about what awaits them at the beach.www.greatlakes.org/adoptabeachvideos
Adopt-a-Beach™ Forms Includes the Adopt-a-Beach™ Guide and an equipment checklist of supplies you need to bring with you to the beach.www.greatlakesadopt.org/Home/Links
Adopt-a-Beach™ Frequently Asked Questions Answers to questions by new adopters and reminders for veteran adopters.www.greatlakes.org/Document.Doc?id=817
Promote Your CleanupWant to use a press release, emails or social media to promote your cleanup? We’ve created easy templates you can use. More information >