Seafarer’s Homecoming

During this season of giving, shippers should consider one organization that remains devoted to their interests.

The latest episodes of piracy have brought world attention to the risks posed to cargo vessel crews, but this is just one of many perils that seafarers face. More common, are violent storms, serious accidents, and the crushing loneliness of being away from friends and family.

The Seamen’s Church Institute cares for the hardworking men and women of maritime commerce, but its mission would not be possible without the help of individuals, religious institutions, corporations, and foundations that work with SCI toward a better tomorrow.

Mariners are the backbone of global commerce, transporting billions of tons of cargo each year across the world’s oceans and along our nation’s inland waterways. Their labors greatly impact the world’s economy.
Hardworking men and women of the maritime industry make huge sacrifices to provide the world with a way of life to which it has become accustomed. Spending many months onboard a vessel, away from family and friends, mariners face dangers and challenges unique to their round-the-clock profession.

Away from the support of their local communities, SCI gives mariners a place to feel “at home.”

The Institute offers a warm welcome at seafarers’ centers on both coasts of the United States—one in the Port of New York/New Jersey and another near the Port of Oakland.

SCI also meets mariners right where they work—aboard cargo and cruise ships and on the vessels that travel the inland river waterways of the United States.

As part of its round-the-clock ministry, SCI maintains a staff of professional chaplains with interfaith and cross-cultural backgrounds. Chaplains and volunteers assist thousands of mariners each year, offering a hand of friendship and pastoral care. They also bring with them practical services like wire transfer forms, calling cards, and cell phones to connect with loved ones at home.

SCI provides a wide spectrum of support services—chaplaincy, legal aid, and continuing maritime education. Whenever a mariner connects with SCI, he or she can count on a comprehensive response.

http://www.seamenschurch.org/