Woody Johnson and the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation Team Up with FORCE BLUE and the University of Miami to Finish “100 Yards of Hope”
(Miami, FL) “100 Yards of Hope”, an ambitious coral reef restoration project begun by the NFL in the waters off Miami in 2019 as a way to celebrate the league’s 100th season, is getting new life — thanks to the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation (BWJF) and its Director, Robert Wood Johnson.
Working under a grant provided by the BWJF, Special Operations veterans from FORCE BLUE, together with scientists from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School, are embarking on a two-year mission to outplant hundreds of Staghorn, Elkhorn and boulder corals on to a reef site just off the coast of Miami. The multi-phased initiative is focused on addressing recent environmental stressors and strengthening long-term reef resilience.
“Force Blue is remarkable — offering our reefs a second chance while providing the veterans who protect them a renewed sense of purpose,” said Johnson.
“I admire how this team turns service into stewardship, and the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation is pleased to help them return to Miami for this next chapter of 100 Yards of Hope.”
The three-part project kicked off earlier this summer when FORCE BLUE veterans, under the tutelage of the University of Miami’s Rescue a Reef program, underwent specialized training in coral health monitoring and BleachWatch certification, then took to the water to conduct baseline site surveys and evaluate current reef conditions on the 100 Yards of Hope site.
“Coral scientists can’t do it alone,” said Dalton Hesley, Program Director at Rescue a Reef.
“Restoring the future of Florida’s Coral Reef will take a team. That’s what the 100 Yards of Hope project is all about — showcasing the importance and impact of banding together on this shared mission.”
During the restoration phase, which will take place in Spring 2027, FORCE BLUE veterans will work alongside Rescue a Reef to carry out coral fragmentation, collection from nursery sites, and outplanting of resilient coral species. This phase will also include continued data collection to track early success. The project will conclude in Fall 2027 with a Reassessment phase, during which teams will return to resurvey the site, perform maintenance on outplanted corals, and evaluate overall project outcomes.
“For our veterans to have the opportunity, once again, to partner with Rescue a Reef and to continue the restoration work we began with the NFL prior to Super Bowl LIV is truly amazing,” said FORCE BLUE Executive Director Jim Ritterhoff.
“Five years after our last dive on the 100 Yards of Hope site, we’re putting our veterans back into service — this time to show the world that despite all the challenges facing our planet, the hope still grows.”
About the Betty Wold Johnson Foundation
The Betty Wold Johnson Foundation is dedicated to honoring the enduring legacy of Betty Wold Johnson — a visionary philanthropist and beloved matriarch of the Johnson family. Guided by her deep compassion, humility, and unwavering belief in the dignity of every individual, the Foundation supports initiatives that uplift communities and foster lasting impact across education, public service, arts and sports. Rooted in Betty Wold Johnson’s lifelong commitment to civic responsibility and the American experience, the Foundation champions access to essential resources such as food, shelter, education, and employment. It invests in innovative programs, scientific research, and cultural institutions that enrich the spirit and strengthen the fabric of society.
About FORCE BLUE
Established in 2016 as a means of addressing two seemingly unrelated problems — the rapidly declining health of our marine resources and the difficulty far too many servicemen and women have in adjusting to civilian life once their service ends — FORCE BLUE is the only nonprofit organization in the world that retains and redeploys former Special Operations veterans and military-trained combat divers to work alongside scientists and environmentalist on marine conservation missions.
Harkening back to the days of Jacques Cousteau and the French Frogmen he trained, FORCE BLUE has assembled a modern-day cadre of elite military veterans with the aptitude and ability to achieve great things on the conservation front — and the visibility to let the world know about it. Through its composition and commitment, FORCE BLUE is building a model of caring, cooperation, and positive change with the power to restore lives and the planet.
About Rescue a Reef
Rescue a Reef (RAR) is the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School’s coral restoration program designed to build community and coastal resilience through coral reef research, restoration, and citizen science. The RAR program was launched in 2015 to advance the recovery of depleted coral populations on Florida reefs by providing meaningful research, outreach, and experiential opportunities to members of our community interested in contributing to reef restoration. To accomplish this, RAR hosts public field expeditions led by UM coral researchers that provide a unique, hands-on opportunity for recreational SCUBA divers and snorkelers to participate directly in UM coral reef research and restoration activities. Through these citizen science expeditions, participants learn about the critical roles of coral reefs, ongoing threats they face, and tools available for their conservation and restoration; all the while conducting real-world coral reef research. To date, RAR has led >100 citizen science expeditions with >1,000 participants helping to restore >10,000 coral colonies to local reefs!