The Ocean Rescue Alliance International (ORAI) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization that uses science and art to connect people to the ocean. Its focus is largely on building marine infrastructure and adapting innovative techniques to help restore coral reefs and promote sustainable ecotourism. ORAI’s mission is to connect people to nature while supporting scaled regenerative restoration. With its educational and tourist-centered programming, ORAI aims to inspire young people to become environmental stewards.  

Shelby Thomas is a Marine Biologist and Conservationist working toward earning her Ph.D. in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. She began working on an artificial reef project called 1000 Mermaids in 2019. The original site is located in Palm Beach and has since spread to become 280 modules across South Florida. In 2020, she founded ORAI to bring other conservation initiatives and eco-art projects like 1000 Mermaids to life. In October 2023, ORAI began banking with Climate First Bank because, at its roots, the Bank’s purpose aligns with ORAI’s mission of sustainable development and social responsibility.  

“I ultimately started [ORAI] because I realized the biggest threat to humanity was the disconnection from nature. I knew from a social-physiological perspective we must create connection to have sustained change,” Shelby shared. “And so, I fell in love with art and its ability to connect people to the ocean and sustainably fund large-scale restoration.”  

Part of ORAI’s operations include the construction of artificial reefs and restoration technologies such as using a device known as a Coral Lok. In using this, coral fragments are grown in a laboratory setting and then installed on the Coral Lok device which is comprised of calcium carbonate, silica and limestone. The Coral Loks are then placed onto ORAI artificial reefs or substrates in the ocean to promote coral growth. ORAI currently has more than 13 different Coral Lok technologies that help reconstruct environments in a transformative way. These reefs then serve as an opportunity to engage the public in restoration while creating an artistic tourist attraction that accomplishes regenerative restoration.    

“We focus all of our projects around the restoration of marine habitat,” Shelby explained. “When we create art projects, it is a small fraction art, and a majority is focused on habitat creation and marine resource restoration.”  

ORAI also leads numerous projects that use artwork as a way to draw people to their cause. Currently, they are working on a group of installations as part of a project titled Guardians of the Reef. These four sites, which are located off the coast of Hollywood, Florida, will include 50 artificial reefs and 5,000 Coral Loks that will help to outplant up to 5,000 corals. Alongside the habitat reefs, there will be 12 artistic reef structures. Some of these will be mermaid sculptures, Greek Ocean deities, diver selfie stations, and various sea animal sculptures that contribute to symbols of Guardians of the Reef. These reefs are meant to create engaging public experiences that promote a connection to the ocean and scientific education through an artistic connection with nature.  

“Underwater artistic reef parks are used to engage and incentivize cities, counties and coastal developers to become part of the solution creatively while helping support the economy, but more importantly helping restore marine life,” Shelby said. “Once we have these projects sites in the water, we develop community programs that engage not just youth, but people of all ages, as well as tourists, to help contribute to sustainable restoration.”  

ORAI has developed other programs like this across the state of Florida and internationally in locations including Tulum, Mexico and Barbuda. Their community programs include monitoring, research, workshops and clean-ups that are designed to educate the public.  

Supporting these efforts is their state-of-the-art coral lab, We Restore. When completed, this facility will offer hands-on educational experiences designed to promote exploration of coral aquaculture by displaying models of coral, oyster and mangroves scaled restoration. The lab will also become a space for conservationists and marine biologists to work collaboratively toward developing restoration the invitation of collaborative ideas and study. The tanks at this lab are currently being filled in preparation for growing the coral necessary for the Guardians of the Reef initiative. Climate First Bank holds the account for this project, ensuring that stored funds continue to support values-aligned projects.  

Part of our purpose at Climate First Bank is to fund mission-aligned projects that support our mission to do the right thing for our planet, our people, our community and our shareholders. We aim to foster a national sense of community through shared values and a common vision of using finance as a force for good.  

“Climate First Bank has a lot of [environmental social governance] initiatives. All our non-profit work, and even the lab, ties into sustainability as a whole, as well as social responsibility and governance," Shelby said. “We really hit all pillars, from policy to environmental restoration.... We hit a lot of priorities in terms of even circularity for having regenerative solutions that are economically sound. We are building business models that are really novel and support large-scale restoration work.”  

At Climate First Bank, we use our customers’ deposits to support environmental initiatives, including the good work done by ORAI.  We don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk too, and that’s showcased by tangible projects and impact. Learn more about how your banking can have a positive impact on the environment and communities by opening a business banking account today.  

Don’t just bank. Bank like tomorrow depends on it.

Photo credits: ORAI Webpage & Ron Nash.