A Gossard family project · Jersey Shore, NJ
Hi. I'm Nolan Gossard. I live in New Jersey and I love our beaches. Last year I found a plastic bottle stuck in the sand at Sandy Hook and I got really mad. So I'm doing something about it — one beach at a time. Donations will help fund cleanup supplies for our crew and support the grown-ups already doing this work.
"The Jersey Shore is where my family goes every summer. It shouldn't have trash on it.
I want to help clean it up and get other kids to help too."
— Nolan Gossard, 10
Nolan Saves the Bay is a family-run project started by Nolan Gossard, age 10. The goal is simple: organize kid-friendly beach cleanups along the Jersey Shore, and get more kids involved in taking care of the coast. We're inspired by the groups who've been doing this work for decades — including Clean Ocean Action, Surfrider Jersey Shore, and Save Coastal Wildlife.
We're not a registered 501(c)(3), and donations are not tax-deductible. We're still figuring out the exact mechanics — how donations will be processed, how funds will be allocated, and how we'll report back to donors. When those details are locked in, they'll be posted here.
Two focus areas. Details still being worked out.
Small, welcoming events along the Jersey Shore where kids and families can show up, pick up trash, and learn a little about the ocean while they're at it. Think gloves, pickers, buckets, snacks, and a couple of hours on the sand.
Rather than reinvent the wheel, we want to point people toward — and help support — the established New Jersey nonprofits who have been protecting the coast for decades.
We're a new project and still setting things up. When the donation mechanics, allocation, and reporting process are finalized, this section will spell it all out.
Nolan named them himself. Any amount helps.
$10
A small start — every bit adds up.
$50
A meaningful contribution to the project.
$150
Helps get a real cleanup off the ground.
$500+
A big lift for a small project just getting started.
Get on the list — we'll reach out when donations open and share updates as the project comes together.
We'll be in touch as things come together. In the meantime, check out the ways to help below.
Clean Ocean Action runs one of the largest volunteer cleanups on the East Coast — twice a year, at 80+ Jersey Shore sites. All ages welcome. Kids 12 and under bring an adult. It's a great place to start.
Register with Clean Ocean ActionYou don't need permission to pick up trash. Nolan put together a one-page checklist for hosting a small beach or riverfront cleanup with friends, family, a scout troop, or a class. Bring gloves, bring bags, bring snacks. That's it.
Yes. Nolan is 10, from New Jersey, and he's the one who wanted to do this. His dad handles the adult stuff — logistics, the domain, and paperwork. Nolan handles the ideas and the enthusiasm.
No. Nolan Saves the Bay is a family-run project, not a 501(c)(3). Donations will not be tax-deductible. If you need a tax deduction, consider donating directly to Clean Ocean Action or Surfrider — both are registered 501(c)(3) organizations doing similar work.
We're still working out the exact split. The plan is to fund cleanup supplies for events Nolan organizes and to support established NJ ocean-cleanup nonprofits. When the mechanics are finalized, we'll post the details here.
Not quite yet — payment processing isn't set up. Sign up on the form above and we'll email you as soon as it's live.
We'd love that — please email us. We're especially excited about classes and scout troops.
Sign up for a Beach Sweep, organize your own cleanup, or share this page with someone who spends time at the Jersey Shore.