#NoPlasticNovember Movement

/in /by

Chelsea Almario of Team Manzon has been surfing as one of her many past times and it’s contributed to her sense of peace, success, and philanthropic work. She’s partnered up with Groundswell Community Project, a women’s surf organization that allows surfing as a means of therapy for women to help empower themselves and heal from experiences in their past. A SISTERHOOD OF INTERSECTIONAL WOMXN HOLDING SAFE & BRAVE SPACE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES TO FIND THEIR HEALING, POWER, AND BELONGING IN MOTHER OCEAN’S WAVES. Groundswell’s research-based surf therapy curriculum and programs are rooted in somatic, trauma-informed, nature, and community therapy models to best support the holistic healing of womxn and their communities overcoming various forms of trauma and its mental health effects.  With home roots in San Diego, California, and branches that extend across the globe, Groundswell strives to break down barriers and build up communities that celebrate mental health, women’s health, and ocean health.

I started at Groundswell about 5 years ago as a volunteer when I was in a place where I was lost- suffering from self-diagnosed chronic depression and an overall sense of not doing enough with my life. I volunteered at Groundswell where I was able to serve others in order to find myself again. Not to mention get free therapy when I couldn’t afford a therapist at the time and it combined my love for surfing- It was a win-win! After that, I was hired on as a Surf Safety Facilitator in order for me to further dive into the good work of Groundswell in hopes of being able to positively affect more lives as mine was on that first day that I volunteered. Ever since then, I was able to truly create my own path and walk through it with confidence. I am now serving my community through real estate and loving every second of what I do. I unfortunately am not able to volunteer my time as much as I’d like, so instead I choose to donate to Groundswell and participate on the Board. In this way I am able to assist more people who were in the same boat as me and live the life they deserve with the foundation of Surf Therapy. – Chelsea Almario

With water being a healing element, Groundswell and Chelsea Almario are committed to the #NoPlasticNovember movement.

Here’s what #NoPlasticNovember means;

    • PLEDGE: Invite a friend, your company, sports teams, classmates or surfsisters to join you in choosing one small joy-filled commitment that supports deeper sea love for the 30 days of November.Some examples could be: picking up trash every surf session, giving up plastic bags or utensils at the office, sharing a gratitude for the ocean every day, shifting to purchasing from your local refill shops…. get creative and commit to something together that sends waves of love to mother ocean.
    • SHARE: Set up your peer to peer fundraiser page and share your teams commitment to healing Mother Ocean together with your friends, family, social media followers, and community. Invite them to join you in your efforts by donating, following Groundswell, and entering to win our Mother Ocean loving giveaways.
    • EMPOWER: Each dollar donated goes to support our surf therapy and  ocean conservation programs that heal, empower, and unite women in  the waves together.

With every donation made to help support surf therapy and ocean conservation program, Chelsea will match up to $2000.

Join us and pledge to the #NoPlasticNovember and donate to this amazing movement http://noplasticnovember.funraise.org/fundraiser/chelsea-almario.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a astatine across the waters to create many ripples” – Mother Teresa