Prioritize Morale and Wellness

The Coast Guard Foundation understands the realities facing Coast Guard service members, as well as the unique challenges that come with their decision to serve our country. This positions us to provide comprehensive support for members, veterans, and their families.

Prioritizing the morale and wellness of the Coast Guard is crucial—not only so they remain always ready for their assignments, but so they can maintain their own physical and mental well-being while at sea or stationed in remote areas.

Exercise and Fitness Equipment

Staying fit and in shape is a requirement for all Coast Guard duty assignments. The benefits of exercise and fitness go well beyond the requirements of the assignment, they also provide opportunity for stress management and wellness.

Coast Guard Foundation morale support in the form of exercise and fitness equipment runs the span of traditional weight room and gym equipment, like treadmills, elliptical machines, and spin bikes. On cutters and boats, where space can be an issue, crossfit and group exercise equipment that's easily stored is popular, as are yoga and exercise mats.

Outdoor Recreation Gear

On-the-water sports, like kayaks, canoes, and stand up paddle boards are popular in warmer climates, as they give Coast Guard members and their families an opportunity for outdoor fitness and time together, and an opportunity to experience the communities where they are stationed.

Small and large cutters have an added challenge of space and storage. Outdoor gear for these Coast Guard members consists of fishing gear and bicycles. When they pull into a port far from home, they can utilize the bikes to get a well deserved break, or take some time while off-duty to try their skills at fishing.

Small duty stations are often remote and lack resources. We provide morale support in these locations which bring together those stationed there, their families, and the local community.

Community Building

A sense of community is powerful for members and families, as Coast Guard deployments can be remote and isolating. The Coast Guard Foundation creates and celebrates communal bonds so that our heroes always feel supported.

We fund the building of community spaces that serve as gathering places for Coast Guard families to meet and connect with each other while stationed far away from loved ones. Members and families can also spend time together at these spaces when members are off duty.

Commissionings

The service is currently undergoing a fleet modernization effort, and to support this initiative we are providing each new vessel's crew with $5,000 to establish their morale, wellness, and recreation fund. These new vessels are being named after Coast Guard enlisted heroes and are crucial to the service's mission of counter-drug patrols, providing maritime environmental projection, conducting search and rescue operations, and more.