BoatUS asks boaters to help Coast Guard members

BoatUS is asking boaters to help Coast Guard members during the partial government shutdown © Scott Croft

With the partial government shutdown now more than a month old, the nation's largest advocacy, services, and safety group for recreational boaters, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), recognizes the hardship members of the U.S. Coast Guard are facing by not receiving their paychecks.

In addition to working on a legislative solution to pay our Coast Guard, BoatUS urges recreational boaters to consider making a donation to Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA), the official relief society of the U.S. Coast Guard, at cgmahq.org.

BoatUS made a $25,000 donation to the organization, which is using the funds for "lapse assistance" to help Coast Guard members receive interest-free loans to pay bills. CGMA is the only aid group authorized by the Coast Guard to provide lapse-related assistance to Coast Guard members, both active duty and civilian personnel. These bridge loans may total up to $1,500 for members and civilians with dependents or $1,000 for those without. Coast Guard personnel may apply at cgmahq.org/shutDown/clients.

"The dedicated people who come to our aid night or day, in sunny skies or stormy seas, now could use a little bit of our help," said BoatUS Government Affairs Manager David Kennedy. "This valuable lapse program can help our Coast Guard professionals pay utilities, mortgages, landlords or other creditors, greatly helping members during this time of financial stress."

Established and operated "by Coast Guard people for Coast Guard people," CGMA has a long history of helping the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard, serving as a vital financial safety net. It is an independent nonprofit that receives no Coast Guard or federal funding.

Go to cgmahq.org to make a donation.