The Marine Mammal Stranding Center is a great organization! Their dedication to be on call 24/7, 7 days a week to help stranded marine mammals is amazing. Everyone at the center is devoted and goes above and beyond in their work. There is a true passion and love for the animals at this facility.
As new residents in Brigantine, New Jersey this past year, my family has discovered the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. my daughter served as an Education Intern over the summer, supporting the community by teaching classes, giving tours and attending community events. The center provides an invaluable resource not only for the marine mammals who are stranded, wounded or misunderstood, but also as a beloved charity that brings Brigantine together for common good. In a divided world, this organization and its mission inspires the best in all of us.
Just love this organization! They do such great work. I have been working as a volunteer for many years, and have some of the most rewarding experiences in my life. They really go above and beyond. They rescue/ rehab/release stranding marine mammals that come in along of NJ coast and sometime even go beyond Nj when requested. They also have an edicuation program that teaches about the marine mammals, what to do when you see them stranded , mock strandings, report a sighting. They can bring the edicuation right to your classroom. They are open for strandings 24 hrs a day and 7 days a week.
MMSC is an amazing nonprofit organization that helps sealife that are injured or in distress . They also educate people about the mammals. They we nurse the sick or injured seals back to health before releasing them into the ocean.
As a volunteer and financial supporter of this nonprofit, I have learned firsthand of their commitment to marine wildlife and the coastal ecosystem. MMSC is the go-to agency for marine mammal strandings and rescues. MMSC provides valuable education to children and adults on our interaction with and responsibility toward the marine environment and its creatures. MMSC is a partner in the community highlighting cooperation among government agencies, nonprofits, and the public to ensure our coastal ecosystem survives and thrives.
Over the years of volunteering, working or visiting the MMSC there is one thing that is a constant. They put the needs and welfare of the animals 1st. Above their own needs, the public’s curiosity, and the media’s attention. They also strive to educate everyone. This is key to insuring the future of all the creatures we share this world with.
The life-saving work of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center is driven by a team of dedicated staff and volunteers whose hard work and dedication to the animals never stops. MMSC has responded to over 5,700 marine mammals and sea turtles that have come ashore in New Jersey over the past 43 years. MMSC has an unwavering commitment to these fragile marine species, and is on call to respond to animals in need 24 hours/ day- seven days/week- 365 days/year.
This organization does more for marine life than most residents in NJ will ever know! I have volunteered for the MMSC for over 18 years and try to educated people on what they do even when I’m not there.
We had a group of 22 people .12 children Paid to go and partpicate in the netting and dolphin save program. We arrive and are told cannot do dolphin program, the dolphin popped a hole. , we are doing turtle. Ok paid for dolphin not turtle. Arrive at beach ask about netting. They look at me as to clue what I am talking about. I paid for both. Ok. Sorry we do not have anyone to do that. Ok we drove 2hrs. To get nothing that we paid for. They offer us $50.00 back out of $125.00 . I Was then calling credit card company to report . After more complaining finally got our money back. But that does not make up for 12 disappointed kids and a 2 hour drive for nothing. Beware if you pay for a program and they give you what they feel like and not what you booked. We were also told how bad are children are by then cause they would not pay attention to the long dragged out speech about a,turtle. No wonder they came go learn about dolphins not a turtle... and not paying attention to turtle learning is not being bad. They just walked away and looked around the store and watched the video again about a turtle. Not running around screaming at all. And at the beach after so much of turtle talk went up play in the sand. Again no interest in the fake turtle we did not order. 2 stars is for being knowledgeable on the turtle.i should have been called about no dolphin, and no netting due to I have no idea. Very unprofessional to handle this way.
The most amazing, caring,dedicated, persistent group of people I've ever known! The animals they have saved number in the thousands and so do the number of people they have impacted with their work and community outreach. I've have been a volunteer with the MMSC for years and will continue for years to come. They inspire me!
Lee Ann Campbell
Amazing group of people. Dedicated and pleasant to work with. I just volunteered today for two separate strandings and had a safe and informative experience; we successfully released a harbor seal on Sandy Hook, NJ and also captured a seal in Spring Lake, NJ to take to the stranding center. The stranding technician kept us informed and focused on our safety as well as the safety and well-being of the seal. MMSC has a wonderful volunteer training program. Their staff are very informative and very professional during the process of seal rescue, volunteer instruction and coordination.
Review from Guidestar
I volunteered at the stranding center for the past 4 years and could not have felt I was dedicating my time to a better organization. I love being at the center and learn something new every week I'm there. I hope to be a long time volunteer. All of the techs I've worked with are wonderful and you can tell they care very much about their jobs.
Review from Guidestar
I first met Bob and Sheila back in 1978 when they were working to get the Marine Mammal Stranding Center off the ground. A friend of mine was painting the Marine Mammal Stranding Center logo on the tailgate of Bob’s pickup truck, that logo is still in use today. I will never forget the lasting impression that Bob and Sheila.
In the early years the Stranding Center was run on less than a shoe string budget, and most of the stranded animals were cared for in Bob & Sheila’s rented garage on North Massachusetts Avenue, Bob ingeniously designed containers and pens out of donated materials, nothing went to waste. In those days the Stranding Center depended on the donations of family, friends, local businesses and the casinos that had just opened, they also depended on volunteers who donated their time to help care for the animals. At that point in time the operation was almost entirely “word of mouth”. As Atlantic City grew with the birth of Casino gambling, so did the donations and the Stranding Center was give space at Garden’s Basin and then they were eventually given space in Brigantine, where still remain today.
I remember some of the fund raising that was done in the early days; they would have tables at every event they could find. They would ask volunteers man the tables and help sell tee-shirts with the Stranding Center Logo. My favorite tee-shirt has the picture of a seal named Valentine, though there were many, many seals that visited the Stranding Center; Valentine just had that something special about her.
The Stranding Center also had annual whale watching trips to Providence town, Cape Cod, these trips allowed members to see whales up close. If you weren’t a fan of these majestic Marine Mammals before the trip you certainly were after. One year, the day we arrived a 40ft whale had beached itself right in the middle of town. Bob and Sheila were right there offering their assistance and expertise.
These are just a few of my memories of their early days; I still cannot believe how many animals there were for them to help.
I have to give Bob & Sheila a lot of credit for sticking with it, there were many times when they would personally go without, so the animals could have food and medicine. When I think back, I can remember the winter they camped out in a boathouse on Carson Avenue, without central heat to save money, this was just one of the many sacrifices they made so stranded animals could be give the care and rehabilitation.
If you check out their webpage and look at the numbers of animals that needed help and that they have help you will be astounded.
Bob, Sheila and the rest of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center staff and volunteers you are all awesome!
Review from Guidestar