A group of Boston businessmen and civic leaders established Sailors’ Snug Harbor of Boston in 1852 to offer aged seamen a comfortable “asylum, a Snug Harbor, secure from storms or shipwrecks.” The organization managed this retirement home until 1970, when the trustees decided to sell the property and use the proceeds to create a grantmaking foundation that would support the charitable work of other nonprofit organizations.
Sailors’ Snug Harbor of Boston, now a private independent foundation, supports nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in two main areas:
Fishing Communities Initiative — The focus of this initiative is to help current and former fishing families in Massachusetts achieve sustainable self-sufficiency during this period of transition in their industry. Supported programs address the particular economic, health, and welfare needs of Massachusetts’ fishing communities.
Elder Programs – The goal of Elder Program funding is to help Greater Boston’s low-income elderly population live independently. The trustees support programs offering increased access to services, improved development of suitable housing, and related services.