Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse: Maryland VOAD was there! Our response for the bridge collapse has now ended. We are grateful to our member organizations and the many people who contributed to our response efforts. The articles below capture the highlights of our response.
FSKB Response – Thank you!
A note of thanks to Maryland VOAD members and partners that offered support following the collapse of the Key Bridge. Together, we met the needs of seafarers stuck in the port and aided the families of longshoreman unable to work or collect unemployment benefits.
(Updated: April 30, 2024)
Support for Crew Members
With the opening of the 35 foot channel, all but 3 of the ships stranded in the harbor (the Dali being one of the 3) have been able to leave the Port of Baltimore. Therefore, we are suspending our request for in-kind donations for crew members. The visa and port passes for two of the remaining ships’ crew has expired, and they are confined to the ships. Members of the Dali will have needs once it is freed from the collapsed bridge and is able to moor. When that occurs, we will share any unmet needs of the crew.
Kudos to all our members and partners who responded quickly to the needs of the crews. Many thanks for your efforts. It was a great example of the 4 C’s in action!
We are still receiving donations for those who would like to give to the Maryland VOAD Disaster Fund. This gives us the flexibility to meet changing needs and fill gaps that may exists with in-kind donations. Here is the link that will take you directly to our financial giving portal:
Support for Longshoreman
After a long logistics planning process, we have now be able to coordinate support for the unemployed International Longshoreman Union (ILA) members. The distribution of food, baby formula, diapers and baby food for the longshoreman and their families is being provided by the Community Assistance Network and the Maryland Food Bank. There are no unmet needs and no assistance being requested at this time.
We are grateful to the Staff of Councilman Zeke Cohen, CAN, the Maryland Food Bank, Under Armour, and leadership of ILA for helping us navigate this complicated coordination process.
We received some nice publicity for our efforts to support the longshoreman. Here is a link to one of the news articles:
Maryland VOAD’s Coordinating Call Minutes from Friday, March 29, 2024.