During the holiday season, the Seattle Seafarers Center (Mission to Seafarers) gives away over 1,000 ditty bags to merchant seafarers. These small gifts are one way we welcome and care for seafarers during the holiday season, especially while seafarers are far away from their homes and families.

You help make this happen!

On Saturday, November 23, 2024, from 10 am to Noon, join us at St. John the Baptist, 3050 California Avenue SW, in West Seattle to once again make ditty bags. During the event, we’ll stuff ditty bags, share stories about seafarers ministry, and bless the bags to be given away.

You also can participate throughout the year in other ways.

• Purchase supplies. See our website for a full list of items we collect. Examples include these sealed in a single pack:
  • Full sized deodorant
  • Toothpaste
  • Shampoo and body wash combo
  • Toothbrush
• Donate money or gift cards for purchasing ditty bag supplies.
• Knit a hat using one of these patterns.
• Sew ditty bags using this ditty bag pattern.

Drop off supplies, hats, and ditty bags at the Seattle Seafarers Center, or arrange for a pick-up before November 13. We are happy to coordinate with you and grateful for your gifts. To schedule a drop-off or pick-up, please do one of the following:

• Call +1 (206) 935-3439
• Email office@mts-seattle.org

Then, join us November 23 at St. John the Baptist from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon to stuff ditty bags.

Consider making a donation to support this effort, too. Every gift makes a difference! You can make a donation one of two ways:

• Donate on the Seattle Seafarers Center website.
• Send a check to
  • Seattle Seafarers Center
    1011 SW Klickitat Way #209
    Seattle, WA 98134

Thank you for your generosity and for your care of seafarers.

The Seattle Seafarers Center mission to Merchant Seafarers

Seafarers play a vital role in our daily lives. We depend on them to bring us food, electronic items, raw materials, and other essential cargo. In addition, we depend on the seafarers to ship our exports overseas to help pay for the imports. Without ships and seafarers, trade would cease, and our lives would be almost unrecognizable.

Seafarers need us. The reality of working at sea is that it is the third most hazardous occupation, due to natural elements and piracy. The work takes seafarers away from their homes and families for months at a time.  While at sea they are isolated. When in port, they often find themselves alienated by language and culture.  Moreover, under the Homeland Security rules, shore leave in the United States is often difficult to obtain.

The crews on the commercial ships that call at the Port of Seattle come from many different countries, each with its own culture and religious beliefs. The average crew is made up of about 20-25 seafarers who often speak several different languages.  This leads to isolation and loneliness.

It is our privilege to welcome all seafarers while they are in Seattle. Our chaplain and ship visitor visit ships and arrange transportation to the Center or for shopping in the city. The Center has computers for the use of seafarers and is wired for Wi-Fi. When seafarers are not allowed to leave their ship, we bring SIM cards to them so that they can call home while in port. If needed, we also offer to do any necessary shopping for them.

Visit the Seattle Seafarers Center website for more information.