Featured partner: Pacific Coast Coalition for Seafarers

The Pacific Coast Coalition for Seafarers (PCCS) was founded in June 2020 by local migrant, human rights, labor, faith based and environmental justice organizations with the vision of building unity between land and sea, and communities in solidarity with seafarers. The Philippines supplies more than a quarter of the world's seafarers. Despite maritime labor being crucial to the global economy—with it being one of the most essential, isolating and dangerous jobs that has only become moreso in all respects due to the pandemic—seafarers live in conditions that many have described as "floating prisons". They are often denied shore-leave despite complete paperwork to allow it, and many remain unvaccinated as their companies refuse to cover costs of vaccinations, placing more importance on the labor that the workers provide the companies over their health and safety.

PCCS visits seafarers weekly at minimum to provide much essentials care packages as well as community on the oft secluded ship. It is also their aim to provide as many vaccinations for seafarers as possible, with them having vaccinated over 4000 seafarers in ports along the Columbia river. The Filipino Bayanihan Center has offered its physical space to PCCS for the preparation of care packages and has hosted and provided services for Filipino seafarers on shore-leave, offering a place on land that feels like home away from home.

If you are interested in volunteering for an upcoming packing session please email kamusta@bayanihancenter.org, or would like to donate towards care packages and vaccinations, visit tinyurl.com/seafarers-care.