MIAMI, FL – The Florida Beverage Association (FBA) presented a $25,000 matching grant to Friends of The Underline (FUL) on Saturday, September 13, 2025, to support the organization’s efforts to increase recycling opportunities along Miami’s landmark 10-mile linear park and urban trail beneath the Metrorail.
The grant, provided through the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America (ABFHA) and matched by FBA, is funding The Underline’s Reclaim, Restore, Recycle on The Underline project. This initiative will add 14 new recycling containers along a three-mile stretch of the park, with the potential to collect an additional 53,000 pounds of recyclable materials each year.
“The beverage industry is committed to protecting Florida’s natural resources and creating opportunities for residents and visitors to recycle easily and effectively,” said Liz DeWitt, President and CEO of the Florida Beverage Association. “The Underline is an incredible community space, and by expanding recycling access here, we’re taking another meaningful step toward ensuring more beverage containers are collected and remade.”
The project builds on The Underline’s successful Phase 1 and 2 recycling program, which currently serves 2.2 million annual visitors, and comes at a pivotal moment as Phase 3 is opening- expanding The Underline’s footprint to 4 miles this year and ultimately 10 miles by Summer 2026. With its unique position as a green oasis in Miami’s urban core, The Underline is well-suited to serve as a hub for sustainability, particularly for residents living in nearby apartments who may lack access to traditional recycling programs.
“Recycling access is essential for building a greener, healthier Miami,” said Meg Daly, Founder and Executive Chair of Friends of The Underline. “The support from the Florida Beverage Association and the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America allows us to expand this vital program and inspire more people to take simple, yet important actions that protect our environment and strengthen our community.”
This grant reflects the broader goals of FBA’s Every Bottle Back initiative, a statewide effort to improve recycling infrastructure and raise awareness about the value of recyclable materials. Through partnerships like this, FBA and its members are helping ensure that beverage bottles are “Made to Be Remade,” collected, and transformed into new bottles and products — keeping plastic out of landfills and Florida’s waterways.
In addition to adding new recycling containers, the project includes a public education campaign, featuring on-site signage, events, and digital outreach to engage the community. Miami-Dade County Commissioners Eileen Higgins and Raquel Regalado are also supporting the effort to promote environmental stewardship and community-wide participation.
Learn more about the initiative at www.theunderline.org/recycle-right.
About Every Bottle Back
Every Bottle Back is a collaborative effort by America’s beverage companies to reduce the industry’s plastic footprint by improving recycling access and infrastructure. In Florida, FBA leads this work by building partnerships and raising awareness about the importance of keeping bottles in the circular economy — because every bottle is Made to Be Remade. Learn more at www.flabev.org/EBB.
About the Florida Beverage Association
The Florida Beverage Association (FBA) is the trade association for Florida’s non-alcoholic beverage industry. FBA’s member companies are dedicated to supporting Florida’s communities through initiatives that promote environmental sustainability, recycling, health, and nutrition. See how they’re making an impact at www.flabev.org.
About Friends of The Underline
Friends of The Underline is a non-profit organization committed to transforming a 120-acre stretch of land below Miami’s Metrorail into a first-class linear park and urban trail. Through innovative urban planning and programming, The Underline connects people to their environment and each other, fostering a healthy, sustainable community. For more information, visit: theunderline.org.