ABOUT SWOA
The Seamen’s Widow and Orphan Association (SWOA) was one of many charitable and moral reform societies and associations that popped up in cities all across the United States. Most have vanished. SWOA has not. This Association has independently and successfully navigated the waves of changing times and today continues to provide its time-tested “friendly visits” and financial assistance—LIFELINES—to help individuals who might otherwise be underserved and overlooked.
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On May 1, 1833, a group of women gathered in Samuel McIntire-designed Hamilton Hall in Salem, Massachusetts, to form a society dedicated to assisting the widows and orphans of Salem seamen. The women who formed the society’s first officers and managers were aware of the challenges faced by seamen’s dependents in their community and banded together to address them. They formed the Seamen’s Widow and Orphan Association of Salem—SWOA. It was to be run by a group of seven to twelve women known as the Board of Managers with an advisory board for its financial operations.
At its first meeting the Founders of the Seamen’s Widow and Orphan Association set down a Constitution that, with some adaptations to navigate the changing times, has guided SWOA to the present day. In an elegant script these women recorded the ways in which they thought their association would function. Although they couldn’t have known how far into the future their intentions would reach, the groundwork they laid ensured SWOA’s continuing existence.
The mission of the SWOA is the same now as it was in the 1800s: “…for the purpose of affording relief to the widows and orphans of seamen…”. As the name of our organization implies, the Seamen’s Widow and Orphan Association was specifically created to help support the wives and children of sailors whose lives were lost at sea. However, from the managers’ perspective the summation of SWOA’s mission is—Salem Women Offering Assistance,
As times have changed so has the situation on the North Shore. In 1994 the By-Laws were expanded “for the further purpose of affording relief to any and all needy widows, orphans, children, individuals, and families in the area of Salem, Massachusetts.” Under the expanded charter, organizations such as the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, LifeBridge, and The Salem Pantry, in addition to needy individuals, benefit from funds distributed by the Board of Managers.
Today each member of the Board of Managers of this 501(c)(3) organization personally delivers monthly stipends to individual beneficiaries, some of whom have ties to the maritime trade.
SWOA has a sound portfolio that continues to grow, but so also does the need grow. It is from the portfolio's growth that the distributions are funded. In the past five years SWOA has distributed approximately $500,000 to needy individuals and families.
The following stories are indicative of SWOA’s work and mission.
In the 1990s, a young Guatemalan woman fled her homeland and came to the
United States seeking political asylum She arrived in Salem when she was 17.
She married here, and she and her husband were raising three children. When
her youngest was six months old, her husband was killed in a crosswalk by an
uninsured driver. This young woman’s lifeline was her neighbor, a SWOA manager.
Her manager not only helped her manage SWOA’s monthly funds to secure her
family’s financial stability, but also helped her navigate her immigration process.
Elizabeth and her husband of 51 years worked hard to maintain their home and run
their small market in Salem. He was a self-employed fisherman and was responsible
for stocking the shop with his fresh catch from the sea. They had no children. When
he passed away the market was closed. Elizabeth lost not only her husband, but her
income and she was at risk of losing the home that she loved. SWOA provided funds
that enabled Elizabeth to maintain her dignity and to remain in her residence for another
15 years.
An actively operating organization almost 200 years, SWOA in the 21st century continues to empower individuals and families, bringing some degree of relief from financial insecurity and an opportunity to approach life decisions with greater confidence.
Dive further into our story. click here to request a copy of
Lifelines-The Seamen’s Widow and Orphan Association: Empowering Women of Salem since 1833
At its first meeting the Founders of the Seamen’s Widow and Orphan Association set down a Constitution that, with some adaptations to navigate the changing times, has guided SWOA to the present day. In an elegant script these women recorded the ways in which they thought their association would function. Although they couldn’t have known how far into the future their intentions would reach, the groundwork they laid ensured SWOA’s continuing existence.
The mission of the SWOA is the same now as it was in the 1800s: “…for the purpose of affording relief to the widows and orphans of seamen…”. As the name of our organization implies, the Seamen’s Widow and Orphan Association was specifically created to help support the wives and children of sailors whose lives were lost at sea. However, from the managers’ perspective the summation of SWOA’s mission is—Salem Women Offering Assistance,
As times have changed so has the situation on the North Shore. In 1994 the By-Laws were expanded “for the further purpose of affording relief to any and all needy widows, orphans, children, individuals, and families in the area of Salem, Massachusetts.” Under the expanded charter, organizations such as the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, LifeBridge, and The Salem Pantry, in addition to needy individuals, benefit from funds distributed by the Board of Managers.
Today each member of the Board of Managers of this 501(c)(3) organization personally delivers monthly stipends to individual beneficiaries, some of whom have ties to the maritime trade.
SWOA has a sound portfolio that continues to grow, but so also does the need grow. It is from the portfolio's growth that the distributions are funded. In the past five years SWOA has distributed approximately $500,000 to needy individuals and families.
The following stories are indicative of SWOA’s work and mission.
In the 1990s, a young Guatemalan woman fled her homeland and came to the
United States seeking political asylum She arrived in Salem when she was 17.
She married here, and she and her husband were raising three children. When
her youngest was six months old, her husband was killed in a crosswalk by an
uninsured driver. This young woman’s lifeline was her neighbor, a SWOA manager.
Her manager not only helped her manage SWOA’s monthly funds to secure her
family’s financial stability, but also helped her navigate her immigration process.
Elizabeth and her husband of 51 years worked hard to maintain their home and run
their small market in Salem. He was a self-employed fisherman and was responsible
for stocking the shop with his fresh catch from the sea. They had no children. When
he passed away the market was closed. Elizabeth lost not only her husband, but her
income and she was at risk of losing the home that she loved. SWOA provided funds
that enabled Elizabeth to maintain her dignity and to remain in her residence for another
15 years.
An actively operating organization almost 200 years, SWOA in the 21st century continues to empower individuals and families, bringing some degree of relief from financial insecurity and an opportunity to approach life decisions with greater confidence.
Dive further into our story. click here to request a copy of
Lifelines-The Seamen’s Widow and Orphan Association: Empowering Women of Salem since 1833