MarineLab owes much to its original director Art Mitchell. In 1986, he designed the programs that are presented to this day, and set the bar for the quality of his teaching and his devotion to the ocean. Art knew how the ocean could be used to teach, inspire, and change the lives of students of all ages. He passed that knowledge on to scores of MarineLab instructors, who passed it on to thousands and thousands of students.
Art passed away in October 2017 from complications from Parkinson’s Disease. To honor his memory, the Marine Resources Development Foundation created the Art Mitchell Memorial Fund. This fund is used to provide financial assistance for students from Title I schools to attend a MarineLab program with their school.
All donations to this fund will be used strictly to enable these underserved students to experience a MarineLab program. MarineLab programs can be life changing; of the thousands of students who’ve attended MarineLab since 1985, many of them have gone on to careers in science, and all have been deeply impacted by their experiences. MarineLab makes a difference – and by donating to the Art Mitchell Memorial Fund, you can help make a difference too!
To learn more about MarineLab and Marine Resources Development Foundation, please visit www.marinelab.org.
“I went to MarineLab with my Jr. High School life sciences class and teacher. I was inspired by that trip and went on to get my undergraduate in marine science and became an ocean law attorney. I cannot thank my teacher and all at MarineLab who made this young girl’s heart turn blue with love for the ocean!” — Sarah Winter Whelan
You may make an online donation on this page (click button at top). If you are making a donation by check, please send to the CFFK office, 300 Southard St., Suite 201, Key West, FL 33040. Note in the Memo field that this donation is for MarineLab’s Art Mitchell Fund.
You may also make gifts to this fund by stock, wire transfer, real estate, and more. Please click here for instructions.
If you are interested in leaving a legacy gift to the MarineLab’s Art Mitchell Fund through your will or estate plan, please contact CFFK at (305) 292-1502 or email here.
Thank you for your generosity.
The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys manages over 160 funds and endowments throughout the Keys and is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit (EIN #65-0648968). Since 1996, the Community Foundation has been helping individuals and families leave a legacy in the Keys by inspiring giving and by investing in people and solutions to benefit every resident from Key Largo to Key West. Over $32 million in grants have been made to student scholarships, arts and culture, beautification and preservation of the Keys, health and human services, hurricane relief, and youth programs. The Community Foundation, In Paradise For Good, celebrated its 25th year in 2021. CFFK is known for its signature “Unsung Heroes” event which honors nonprofit volunteers. For more information, call (305) 292-1502 or click here.
