Help Us Build a Living Seawall — One Foot at a Time

Inspired by a Boy’s Story, Made Possible by Our Community

When 12-year-old Church by the Sea Member, Cruz Yturralde, fell ill after swimming in a Fort Lauderdale canal near our church, doctors traced the cause to E. coli and salmonella—pollutants in the canal water.

Church by the Sea in Fort Lauderdale, FL is taking action! Instead of replacing our crumbling 860 foot failing seawall with plain concrete, we’re building a Living Seawall—an innovative, eco-friendly structure designed to attract oysters and marine life that naturally filter and clean the water

This 860-foot project will not only protect our canal but also restore its ecosystem, making it safer and healthier for everyone.

Unlike traditional seawalls, the Living Seawall is a vertical reef, filled with textured surfaces and sheltered spaces that create habitats for oysters, juvenile fish, crabs, sea stars, and more. One oyster alone can filter up to 50 gallons of water each day, removing harmful bacteria like E. coli and restoring clarity to the waterway. As oysters thrive, seagrasses return, marine life flourishes, and the canal becomes a safe, vibrant sanctuary once again.

The Living Seawall costs about the same as a traditional seawall but delivers far greater impact — cleaner water, thriving marine life, and a healthier future for our canals. It will also feature a Discovery Deck where visitors can experience the Living Seawall up close, learn about marine restoration, and see firsthand how community action creates lasting change.

Our goal is bigger than one project! We want to be the place where homeowners, businesses, and cities learn how to replace aging, code-challenged seawalls with a cost-effective, sustainable solution — creating cleaner, stronger waterways for generations to come.

Sponsor a Seawall that Heals and Protects

Legacy Sponsors — $100,000 Commitment

Leave a lasting legacy of cleaner water, safer canals, and a stronger future.
Legacy Sponsors commit $100,000, payable over four years at $25,000 per year.
You can sponsor individually, as a family, or gather a group of friends to share the commitment. (For example, five friends could each contribute $5,000 per year to fulfill one Legacy Sponsorship together.)

Legacy Sponsors will be recognized on dedicated Living Seawall signage and celebrated as key partners in building a healthier world.
You may choose a collective name, dedicate your sponsorship in honor of someone, or remain anonymous—leaving your mark through your impact.

Footprint Sponsors — $1,500 or $62.50 per month for 24 months

Fund one linear foot of the Living Seawall and help bring this vision to life.
Each $1,500 Footprint Sponsorship is fully tax-deductible and can be made as a one-time gift or through 24 monthly payments of $62.50. Footprint Sponsors will be permanently honored with beautiful plaques along the Discovery Deck—a lasting tribute to your commitment to clean water, community, and future generations.

Donor Wall Showing Donor Plaques

Shoreline Sponsors — $100 to $1,499

Every gift, no matter the size, brings us closer to a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient future. Shoreline Sponsors join a collective wave of generosity, helping to protect our waters, strengthen our canal, and fuel the Living Seawall movement.
You’ll be warmly acknowledged in a shared expression of gratitude—no plaques or naming, just heartfelt thanks for helping turn vision into action.

Every Gift Matters

If sponsoring a full foot isn’t feasible, you can contribute any amount that works for you.
Every donation—large or small—helps build a cleaner, safer, and stronger waterway for our community and for generations to come.. We are not just building a seawall, we are building hope.

Ready to Make a Difference?

Donate today and help us bring the Living Seawall to life.
Your gift will create cleaner water, protect wildlife, and inspire a new generation to care for our planet. Whether you sponsor a foot, join as a Shoreline Sponsor, or give whatever you can—you'll be part of something lasting, healing, and deeply needed.

Let’s build hope, one foot at a time.

The Church by the Sea- 2700 Mayan Drive - Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 - 954-523-6472 - The Church by the Sea and Livingseawall.org are a registered 501(c)3 Public Charity. EIN 59-1730183 www.livingseawall.org

The Living Seawall at The Church by the Sea

Launching in Fort Lauderdale, Florida — Inspiring a Cleaner, Safer Future for Waterways Everywhere, One Foot at a Time.

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