Cape May County Coast Guard Community Foundation
Founded in 2015, the mission of the Cape May County Coast Guard Community Foundation is to nurture the relationship between Coast Guard members and their families and the people of Cape May County.
We accomplish this by:
- Developing our own programs
- Supporting the efforts of other organizations
- Facilitating active engagement between the Coast Guard and Cape May County through exciting and unique community events.
We host and promote family-friendly activities throughout the year to celebrate the men and women of the United States Coast Guard serving in the South Jersey region. Our programs honor Coast Guard men and women who serve our country and celebrate the county’s designation as a Coast Guard Community. We also support projects that enhance the morale and welfare of members of the United States Coast Guard and their families.
The foundation partners with Cape May County, its 16 municipalities and other community partners throughout the year to present activities that educate about the deep connections between the Coast Guard and the region. Cape May County is designated as a “Coast Guard Community”, one of a select number of cities and counties in the nation. The honor is reserved for communities that show special support and consideration for the Coast Guard and was awarded after approval by the United States Coast Guard and an act of Congress.
Our Vision, Mission & Guiding Principles
We envision Cape May County as a vibrant and welcoming “hometown” for Coast Guard personnel and their families.
Our Mission is to nurture the special relationships between Coast Guard members, their families, Recruits and the community.
We are guided by our desire to be accountable, dependable and trustworthy — and our drive to deliver excellence — because of the value we place on the service to country of Coast Guard personnel and their families. Our Foundation strives to mirror the honor of those we serve.
A Proud Coast Guard Community
Cape May County is designated as a Coast Guard Community, one of a select number of cities and counties in the nation. The “Coast Guard Community” designation is earned by making special efforts to acknowledge the professional work of the Coast Guard men and women assigned to their area. Coast Guard Communities regularly reach out to Coast Guard personnel and their families and make them feel at home in their “home away from home.” The County’s efforts illustrate the longstanding and enduring relationship with an emphasis on considerations the community has made for the members of the Coast Guard family.
A long and meaningful history forms the foundation of the country’s relationship with the Coast Guard. Beginning in 1849, twelve Life Saving Stations graced our shores. In the nineteenth century, revenue cutters, ships dispatched by the Secretary of the Treasury to collect duties on ships and goods, were stationed at Cape May. Patrol boats operated out of the Sewell’s Point foiled rum-runners off the Jersey Coast during Prohibition. During World War II, Coast Guard mounted beach patrols rode the beaches of all of Cape May County’s barrier islands and walked them with German Shepherds to monitor for suspicious activity.
