The following is the text of a news release from the Trustees of the Sailors’ Snug Harbor:
(NEW YORK) — The Trustees of the Sailors’ Snug Harbor (SSH) was incorporated in 1806 as the result of a bequest made by Capt. Robert Richard Randall, a wealthy New York merchant and sea captain. It was Captain Randall’s desire to have his estate utilized to assist "aged, decrepit and worn-out seamen…" upon his death. SSH is the oldest secular charity in the country.
Who we are
SSH is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to aid retired career mariners in need of assistance. SSH no longer owns or operates a retirement facility for mariners in Sea Level, N.C., Staten Island, N.Y., or anywhere else. Today, we assist mariners in their home communities where they are familiar and more likely to be near family and friends.
Whom we assist
We offer support to career mariners who can demonstrate they have a need for financial assistance and meet the following requirements:
• 3,650 days of deep sea time proven through discharge papers (50 percent on U.S.-flag ships)
• 65 years of age or older (exceptions may be made in rare cases)
• A proven need for financial assistance
• Assets may not exceed $50,000 (primary residence excluded)
• All public benefits available to an eligible mariner must be accessed before any subsidy from SSH is approved (e.g. VA benefits, Medicaid)
Each interested mariner must complete an application that requires detailed information about present living arrangements and financial history.
Contact Sailors’ Snug Harbor
If you have any questions or are in need of assistance, please call our mariner counselor at 1-888-257-5456. The website, www.thesailorssnugharbor.org, includes our application. If you do not have access to a computer, please call and we will send you an application.
