The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has provided seed funding to the “Two States One Port Campaign”, but to fully operate the Lettie G. Howard requires a budget of $600,000 per year.
This is a substantial sum of money, but it is estimated that about 300,000 people in the Port of New York and New Jersey directly receive their employment from the port. There can be debate as to how much that means in wages paid, but an estimate of $30,000,000,000 cannot be far off.
That means that the Lettie budget would constitute 0.002 % of the gross wages in the port.
With 300,000 port employees, $2 per employee per year would pay for the Lettie’s operation in perpetuity.
Port of New York employers are recognizing the benefit of the Lettie in providing maritime training, improving educational resources in the port in general, and the example the Lettie can provide to the country and its worldwide trading partners.
Employers are therefore joining up to provide financial support to allow Lettie and maritime education in the port to thrive.
These employers have selected a per NY/NJ employee contribution varying from the nominal $2 per employee to over $100 per employee. To join the Lettie project employers can pledge their donation at the Harbor Foundation website at: www.newyorkharborschool.org/donate/
When making your donation in the field called “Name of person being Honored/Memorialized:” write: “Lettie, XX employees at $XX per employee”.
The Harbor foundation will add you to the list of supporting employers and send you annual reminders.
At present the following companies (Ranked by “per employee” contribution) are supporting the Lettie Project:
Martin & Ottaway, Marine Consultants
Betancourt, van Hemmen, Greco & Kenyon, LLC, Maritime Attorneys
Society or Marine Port Engineers a technical society supporting marine education
Classic Harbor Line, Passenger Vessel Operators
Miller’s Launch, the Port of NY/NJ Launch and get er done company
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
This list will grow and eventually the list will reside at the Harbor Foundation website, but, in the meantime, Martin & Ottaway will periodically update the list and we look forward to having you join us.
At present the Lettie Project is supported by only a tiny fraction of the people working in the Port of New York and New Jersey and that means that there are still thousands of port employees who do not yet know that they can support this worthy cause and we hope that active supporters will engage ever more addtional supporters..
It is even hoped that the total annual port employer contributions will exceed the Lettie budget at which stage even more innovative educational and port promotion projects can be started.
