Social Services:
Providing for the human needs of seafarers
When Seamen's Church Institute (SCI) welcomes merchant mariners to the Delaware Valley, we learn about the problems these individuals are facing and tap a number of resources to meet their needs.
The challenges most ship workers have in common are:
- Physical, emotional, and spiritual isolation.
- Need for warm clothes and other personal necessities.
Our Seafarer Center at North 5th Street in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, is the heart of SCI hospitality, providing:
- A recreation center with sofas, café tables, television, pool table, ping-pong, and basketball.
- Phone cards, telephones, and computers with Internet service for mariners to reconnect with their families.
- A Clothing Bank where seamen can select and keep whatever they need.
As needed, SCI also provides:
- Free, roundtrip van service to area stores, the SCI Seafarer Center, sporting events, sightseeing tours, and Sunday worship services.
- Counseling.
- Worship services and Bible study, either on shore or on ship.
- Group meals and holiday celebrations.
- Ditty bags full of toiletries and other necessities. (Now accepting product donations and volunteer help with ditty bags. Please contact us to let us know of your interest.)
- Escorts and visits to the hospital.
- Advocacy and intervention to promote social justice and fair labor practices. Lloyd's List Article- Advocacy for Seafarers.