What started in May of 2025 as a grassroots environmental effort has quickly grown into a movement bringing together veterans, students, families, and community organizations across South Florida.
Reef Boyz, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on reef restoration, shoreline cleanups, and pollution awareness, recently partnered with Heart Of The Hive for a community cleanup event in Pompano Beach that combined environmental action with youth outreach and mentorship.
Reef Boyz was co-founded by longtime reef cleanup diver Mike Squillace and Florida native Justin Spute. Squillace has spent more than 40 years diving South Florida reefs and removing debris from delicate marine ecosystems, while Spute’s lifelong connection to Florida’s waterways helped shape the organization’s broader vision of community-based conservation.
Rather than operating as just another cleanup group, Reef Boyz was built around the idea that environmental stewardship works best when entire communities become involved. A major part of that mission has been incorporating veterans and students into every event.
Veterans help lead cleanup operations while mentoring younger volunteers, bringing discipline, teamwork, and leadership experience to large-scale projects. Students gain hands-on education about marine pollution, coral reef protection, and the long-term impact litter has on South Florida’s coastal ecosystems.
“If students understand the real impact pollution has on reefs and wildlife early in life, they become part of the solution,” Spute explained.
That shared focus on youth outreach made Heart Of The Hive a natural partner for the recent Pompano Beach event.
Heart Of The Hive is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping underserved children and families throughout the community. Their work focuses on keeping kids involved in positive activities, providing school supplies and assistance to single-parent households, and creating opportunities that help steer young people away from negative environments and influences.
Together, the organizations hosted a cleanup event that not only removed debris from the beach and surrounding waterways, but also created an engaging experience for local children and volunteers.
To encourage participation, the event included a cleanup competition for the kids, rewarding volunteers who worked the hardest throughout the day. Winners received backpacks filled with school supplies along with diving and water-related gear.
The partnership highlighted how environmental conservation and community outreach can work hand in hand. While Reef Boyz focuses on protecting Florida’s reefs and waterways, Heart Of The Hive focuses on supporting and uplifting the next generation growing up around them.
Since launching in 2025, Reef Boyz has organized cleanup events across South Florida, including efforts in Vero Beach, Dania Beach, Boca Raton, and Pompano Beach. The organization has also partnered with local schools and community groups to expand awareness surrounding marine pollution and environmental responsibility.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, more than 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year, much of it originating from land-based litter that eventually reaches beaches, waterways, and coral reef systems.
Organizations like Reef Boyz and Heart Of The Hive are working to change that trend through direct action, education, and community involvement.
Those interested in volunteering, sponsoring future cleanup events, or supporting the Reef Boyz mission can learn more at thereefboyz.com or donate directly through the organization’s fundraising page at Reef Boyz Zeffy Donation Page.
Community members interested in supporting Heart Of The Hive or assisting their outreach efforts can contact Meldonise or Nakiyah at (954) 348-5574.
As Reef Boyz co-founder Mike Squillace often reminds volunteers during cleanup events,
“Many hands make light work”
