CCinc would like to continue its mission of protecting coastal habitats through engaging and educational community programs by expanding their plastic’s alternatives program to help local small businesses recover from COVID-19 impacts. The program’s expansion would include providing plastic alternatives to 4+ local small business restaurants for up to 1 full month when businesses are allowed to be fully operational, to minimize budgetary restraints and allow businesses to redirect funds used for straws, utensils, and to-go bags to their staff or other operational needs. The plastic alternatives will be purchased from local manufacturing businesses when possible (For Example: Perfect Stix). CCinc would also host a “soft opening” for each business they are able to support. This soft opening will be an educational promotion day on the first day the business offers plastic alternatives to patrons. CCinc will promote this soft opening to attract patrons to each business using a variety of media outlets (social media, newspapers, local event calendars). At each soft opening, CCinc will have an education table with information about the Vero Goes Zero Initiative, the products the individual businesses has chosen to offer with the support of the program, the funding sources who made this program expansion possible, additional product options individuals may consider using at home or traveling with, and a survey to collect patron’s feedback (information collected by the survey includes, but is not limited to: likeness of products offered, opinion about businesses implementing environmentally friendly options, willingness to support businesses who make sustainable transitions and information that may be helpful for a business’ long-term commitment to offering environmentally-friendly options). The goal would be to support local small businesses, minimize financial strain, and provide feedback for the business to continue their commitment to offering sustainable options following the 1-month pilot period. CCinc would also like to gain enough support for this program to expand it to all interested local small business restaurants so our community can continue bettering defining itself as a sustainable coastal community.