The Foundation
The Green Reef Foundation
Sustaining and nurturing aquatic food systems for people all over the world.
Jarvis Green started the Green Reef Foundation because he believes everyone should enjoy access to nutritious food, clean water, equitable livelihoods, and ecological well-being — and we are at a unique moment in time with oceans of opportunity to make it so.
On why Jarvis Green started the FoundationWhat They're For
Vision and mission
We are on a mission to uplift people and communities around the world by developing secure, sustainable, and traceable aquatic food systems that work in harmony with Mother Nature.
Background
Why aquatic food systems
The Green Reef Foundation aims to solve nutritional challenges and improve overall ecological well-being in disadvantaged communities globally, by fostering development of healthy and resilient aquatic food systems.
In the face of ever-increasing global food and nutritional insecurity — and the disproportionate negative impacts felt by disadvantaged communities — fish and other aquatic foods must occupy a central place in food systems of the future, which are currently focused on land-based crops and livestock.
With better collaboration, investment and innovation management, the ocean and related aquatic food systems can provide over six times more food than they do today. This would be more than two-thirds of the animal protein needed to feed the future global population.
Accelerating development of aquatic food systems is especially important to Africa, which represents the youngest, fastest-growing economy in the world — but also one of the few regions where early childhood stunting is increasing due to malnutrition.
67%
of world fish stocks
overfished or at their limit
47%
of seafood imported to the US
is wasted
20%
of sampled seafood
has been mislabeled
6×
more food from the ocean
possible with better investment
Figures as cited by the Green Reef Foundation.
What They Do
Three pillars
Stakeholder Alignment
Involving and aligning public, private, and academic stakeholders in the planning, design, and implementation of sustainable supply chains — fusing the complementary objectives of ecological, economic and social health.
Capacity Building & Innovation
Developing innovative supply chain solutions that improve nutritional access, reduce waste, and increase resiliency, in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Education
Developing programs that empower students, women, and small-to-medium enterprises with STEM skills and socioeconomic opportunity.
Our scope of work and values includes advancing climate-smart fisheries and aquaculture co-operatives, increasing women’s equity and empowerment, lowering income gaps, improving water quality and access, boosting community health, and developing culturally appropriate food and nutritional solutions.
Scope of work and valuesIn Motion
Field projects Initial transformational projects
Virtual Reef
To unite a community around the world and speed up concrete action, the Foundation is developing its online brand leadership platform and social media engagement. Digital transformation and tooling is an ongoing emphasis — attracting next-generation talent, powering new ways of working together, and accelerating learning, growth and innovation.
Green Reef Innovation Centers
The “ocean floor” physical establishments of the Foundation. These facilities focus on providing advanced aquatic food processing infrastructure, developing co-operatives with small-scale fishermen and aquaculture farms, and culturally appropriate food innovation.
Green Reef Workers Platform
Defining, establishing and scaling workforce development programs to diversify the pipeline of talent — empowering underserved and underrepresented communities to participate in aquatic food systems innovation and gain valuable STEM skills transferable to a wide range of industries.
Green Reef Fund
Development of blended finance approaches and FinTech capabilities to support development projects and innovative R&D across the Foundation’s social impact initiatives and strategic collaborations.
The “ocean floor” establishments are already taking shape — at the Port of Venice, Louisiana, and in Ibaka, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.
Read the field notesLeadership
Who's behind it
JG
Jarvis GreenPresident & CEO
DC
Dee CarringtonCFO & Treasurer
MS
Michael SullivanBig Green Innovation Officer
The Green Reef Foundation embraces a growth mindset. Building a high-performing, kind-hearted organizational culture puts a premium on the diversity of talents, skills, and backgrounds required to deliver the best outcomes.
Organizational cultureGet Involved
Four ways in
Every one of these moves the Foundation's projects forward.
Donate directly
Give through the Foundation’s PayPal, which funds the initial transformational projects.
Give through your employer
Many employers match giving through Benevity. Find the Green Reef Foundation there and your company may double your impact.
Join the Virtual Reef
Follow along and add your voice to the community the Foundation is building online — the fastest way to help concrete action move quicker.
Partner or collaborate
The Foundation aligns public, private and academic stakeholders. If your organization works in aquaculture, fisheries, nutrition, STEM education or supply chain, there is a place for you.
Follow the Foundation
Join the Virtual Reef
The community the Foundation is building online — the fastest way to help concrete action move quicker.
The Green Reef Foundation is a registered non-profit, EIN 20-8508676.