WE’RE NOT JUST WATCHING OUR BEACHES DISAPPEAR
— WE’RE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT
OUR MISSION
To protect, restore, and sustain Oceanside’s beaches through immediate sand nourishment, long-term coastal resilience projects, and proactive policy advocacy.
Save Oceanside Sand is committed to securing effective beach restoration through immediate sand nourishment, long-term coastal resilience projects, and proactive policy advocacy. We strive to inform, educate, motivate, and mobilize our community in taking urgent action to restore our beaches.
OUR VISION
A thriving coastline where Oceanside’s beaches are wide, sandy, and resilient for future generations.
Save Oceanside Sand envisions restoring and protecting Oceanside’s beaches for generations to come by implementing immediate and long-term shoreline solutions that ensure our coast remains a thriving, accessible, and resilient resource for our community.
Save Oceanside Sand is taking action to restore and protect Oceanside’s beaches — before it’s too late.
Save Oceanside Sand is taking action to restore and protect Oceanside’s beaches — before it’s too late.
Why We Started & Why We Won’t Stop
Save Oceanside Sand (SOS) was born out of a deep love for Oceanside’s coastline — and a shared frustration that no one was doing enough to save it.
As locals watched favorite surf spots disappear, family beach days struggle, and public access shrink, one thing became clear: waiting wasn’t working.
So, we organized. What began as a grassroots coalition of friends and family, and concerned residents is now a leading voice for shoreline restoration in the region.
We’re here to restore the sand, protect the coast, and make sure Oceanside stays a beach town — not a beach memory.
What We’ve Accomplished
Together with the Oceanside community—and through strong advocacy with our city leaders—we’ve made incredible progress toward restoring our beaches. These wins wouldn’t be possible without your support. Take a look at some of the things we’ve accomplished so far, and know that your continued involvement is key to achieving a resilient, restored shoreline for all of O’side!
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In 2019, SOS created and continues to conduct beachside informational pop-ups to provide education and outreach on Saturdays all summer long, and at selected events. We share updates and information on projects that are happening to restore our beaches, as well as education on how we got here and what can be done.
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SOS advocacy led to the City hiring of GHD and the completion in 2021 of Oceanside’s Beach Sand Replenishment and Retention Device Project feasibility study, which identified hybrid sand retention and nourishment solutions.
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The SOS Community Science program was established in October 2021, and the monthly collection of scientific data has been ongoing since then. Working with the SCRIPPS Institution of Oceanography, SOS Community Science volunteers conduct monthly beach sand data measurements along our entire Oceanside and North Carlsbad shoreline. This data is made available to other institutions, coastal engineering firms and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to better understand the Oceanside shoreline behavior and assist in engineering a solution.
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Following advocacy by SOS, the City of Oceanside created a new position in May 2022 and hired its first Coastal Zone Administrator, Jayme Timberlake.
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Every summer since June 2022, 6 students are selected to participate in the SOS High School Intern program. The interns participate in the SOS Beachside Popups and the Community Science program, plus they learn about coastal processes as they relate to the Oceanside coastal situation. They also have fun representing SOS and marching in the Oceanside Independence Day Parade.
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SOS helped message and get the word out to its members and the community to get involved and participate in the community workshops that provided feedback to the design teams in the 2023 RE:BEACH International Design Competition. Additionally, SOS CEO/President, Bob Ashton, was selected and served as a member of the jury that selected the winning design.
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SOS advocacy contributed to the Oceanside City Council’s unanimous approval of the winning RE:BEACH design in January 2024 and its proposed project site in November 2024.
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For Oceanside’s FY 2024–25 budget, SOS advocated and worked with the City to establish 3 independent budget line items in the city budget. In the first year, nearly $900,000 was allocated by the City for beach restoration, including a commitment to recurring funding.
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Public outreach efforts by SOS contributed to the passage of the Measure X extension (10 years) (by Oceanside voters in November 2024. Additionally, the measure now includes beach and habitat restoration support and classifies the beach as critical infrastructure.
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SANDAG’s Shoreline Preservation Working Group (SPWG) approved RE:BEACH as the region’s sand retention pilot project in June 2025. While RE:BEACH remains a City of Oceanside project, its selection as the regional pilot secures SANDAG’s support for and advocacy on behalf of RE:BEACH implementation. Consistent advocacy by SOS, as well as our education and outreach efforts, helped to bring this about.
Save Oceanside Sand isn’t a government agency
or political group — it’s people.
We’re surfers, students, scientists, dads, moms, lifeguards, teachers, retired military,
business owners, musicians, athletes, artists, volunteers, and families.
What we share is simple: We love this coastline, and we refuse to let it slip away.If you care about Oceanside’s beaches, you belong in this movement.
Save Oceanside Sand is here to stay. We are a small, agile community advocacy nonprofit committed to science-based, sustainable beach restoration and shoreline resiliency. SOS fully supports the City of Oceanside project RE:BEACH, SANDAG’s RBSP III, other near-term nourishment efforts, and streamlined coastal permitting. As a 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation, SOS relies on grants and private donations to fund operations and advocacy. Join SOS and/or donate today!