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Coca-Cola awarded AU$2,500 to a community surfing group in Central Coast, Australia. 

The donation came as part of Coca-Cola Australia's annual Recycling Drive, the Cessnock Advertiser reported. 

The grant will support the surfing group's nearly two-decade-long community work to make the beach and surfing more accessible for people with disabilities.

Coca-Cola Australia's initiative encourages widespread community recycling while recognizing charity, nonprofit, and community groups that have made a positive impact in their area. 

Throughout November 2025, four weekly winners were each awarded AU$2,500, for a combined grant total of AU$10,000. The initiative required nominated community groups to show evidence of their recycling activities and provide a simple explanation for why they deserved to win the grant prize.

The Disabled Surfers Association of Australia Central Coast branch was the first of four weekly winners to be awarded Coca-Cola's Recycling Drive grant. 

DSAA has spent the past 20 years offering free events to the community to encourage people with disabilities, as well as caregivers, to learn how to surf and enjoy the beach. 

The organization not only builds confidence in new surfers, but it also creates a supportive community of people who may be experiencing shared challenges, whether with caregiving or living with a disability. 

"People walking past always say they've never seen anything like it — the sea of colored shirts, the mix of ages, and people with all kinds of disabilities out in the surf enjoying themselves," said Central Coast DSAA's Rae Fuechter, per the Cessnock Advertiser. 

On top of their social impact work, DSAA also aims to protect and maintain the beach where they surf and build community. 

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"We recycle everything we can — boxes, plastics — and we hand out calico bags to help reduce waste," Fuechter said, per the Cessnock Advertiser. 

The Coca-Cola Recycling Drive grant the DSAA received will help the group to continue providing free events for the community. 

This Recycling Drive initiative, coordinated by Coca-Cola Australia, reflects Coca-Cola's global commitment to sustainability, including promoting responsible water use, reducing packaging waste, reducing harmful pollution, and supporting more sustainable agricultural practices. 

While Coca-Cola has taken noble strides toward reducing the environmental impact of its global operations, it still has a long way to go to minimize its operational impact. 

Coca-Cola was named the world's worst plastic polluter for the sixth year in a row in 2023. The company has also backtracked on sustainability goals, prompting accusations of greenwashing. 

Consumers can use their purchasing power for good by donating to local climate initiatives or supporting brands that prioritize sustainability. 

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