As COVID 19 began to move throughout the United States, businesses and industries were forced to change their modes of operation; the shipping industry was no exception. Even though seafarers are thoroughly screened by the Coast Guard before entering the port, there were concerns that the virus might be contracted by the seafarers while in port and spread throughout the crew, paralyzing the essential service shipping merchants provide. So, seafarers who were once allowed to leave their ships to visit our centers and go into town to shop, now found themselves unable to leave their vessels. 
At the Seafarers' Center, we found ourselves facing challenges of our own. Due to the quarantine and concerns about the transmissibility of the virus, our volunteers dwindled from about 90 to less than 20. Under ordinary circumstances, our volunteers would conduct crew visits, staff our hospitality centers and provide transportation services, but few of these resources were useful to seafarers as long as they were locked-down. Yet, their need for phone cards, personal care items, snacks, vitamins and healthcare products remained.  The question became, how do we still provide for the needs of seafarers when we have little to no access to them?
Enter, the concierge service! The brainchild of our executive director, the concierge service provided a way to get the needed items to the seafarers without risking exposure to the virus. A catalog of items was created complete with pictures and prices, along with an order form which was delivered to each vessel's security desk upon arrival. Once an order was received, which sometimes included requests for unusual items like donuts, fast-food burgers and basketballs, our wonderful volunteers and their director, shopped, gathered and packed the products for delivery. It is difficult to describe the appreciation with which the packages were received. After many, many days aboard ship without needed personal supplies, the seafarers were both relieved and grateful.
These are challenging times. Thankfully, we have been able to remain open and have found new ways to provide for the needs of those whom we serve. Needless to say, without the income generated by our transportation services and to a lesser degree, our hospitality centers, we depend more than ever upon the generosity of our loyal supporters. To those of you who love this ministry as much as we do, "Thank You!" To those of you who would like to help support our work, please click the link below. Every little bit helps!