How can you help us
These are the volunteer positions available!
Ship Visitors
Ship Visitors represent Maritime Bethel Savannah to the men and women on board. They check in to see if there are needs we can help with, deliver requested supplies, sell SIM cards, and most importantly, offer a caring and friendly presence. To serve in this role, you’ll complete a five-hour online course and receive hands-on training from experienced Ship Visitors.
Transportation
Seafarers spend weeks or months on board with limited opportunities to go out. Transportation volunteers make a huge difference by driving them from the port to places like Tanger Outlets, Walmart, Downtown Savannah, Best Buy, or simply to the Seafarers Center. This role is about offering a warm welcome to Savannah.
Chaplain
This is the heart of our ministry. Seafarers spend six to nine months away from home and family, and sometimes contracts extend up to a year or more. Chaplains not only fulfill the duties of Ship Visitors, but also provide spiritual care: listening with compassion, offering godly counsel, sharing scripture, and leading worship services.
Hospitality
Your warm welcome, smiling face, and a gentle handshake are all that is needed to help seafarers feel and see that Maritime Bethel is truly a home away from home. You’ll be sure that coffee, snacks, drinks, and wifi are readily available and be able to direct them to the chapel for quiet prayer or show them our store for small purchases.
Want to volunteer? Read our blurb on Mission, Vision, and Values and then fill out the form below. Our Pastor and Executive Director John Houchens will contact you!
Marketing & Social Media
Seafarers are often invisible to the public, even though the ships they crew carry 90% of the goods we use every day. If you have skills in marketing, social media, photography, video production, writing, or graphic design, we need your creativity to help tell their story. To connect authentically, you’ll also join occasional ship visits and meet the men and women we serve.
Maritime Bethel Savannah Mission, Vision, Values
Mission: Bringing the Good News of Jesus, in both word and deed, to seafarers from all over the world calling on the Port of Savannah.
Vision: A facility, compassionate volunteers, and key resources which cause seafarers to look forward to calling on the Port of Savannah and making it a point to visit their center.
Values: Accomplish ministry tasks to the glory of God; Transparency with all constituents; Partnership with like-minded organizations; Share lessons learned with others in similar ministry work; Treat all persons as children of the Father in Heaven.
We want to develop a cadre of volunteers, with a heart for seafarers, to join Maritime Bethel Savannah and share their gifts. We have an immediate need for volunteers who will help us serve seafarers on a regular and consistent schedule which will exponentially increase our ministry to them!
If you would like to help us with any of these positions, let us know!
Send us an email to info@maritimebethelsavannah.org or reach out to our Executive Director John Houchens.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in...”
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time is required?
• Ship Visits:
Visiting a ship typically requires a 4-hour block of time. Ideally, volunteers commit to visiting at least one ship per week on a regular schedule. However, we are flexible — this could also mean dedicating a full day every two weeks or once a month.
• Seafarer Shoppers:
Shopping and delivering items to our Seafarer Center in Garden City also requires a 4-hour block of time.
• Training:
Before volunteering, you will complete a 4-hour online course introducing you to maritime ministry. Afterwards, you will be paired with one of our experienced staff members for 12 hours of hands-on, supervised learning.
• Other Commitments:
Volunteer responsibilities vary widely, and some can be completed on your own schedule.
What kind of qualifications do I need?
• Heart for Service:
The most important qualification is a genuine love for the Lord and for people from all over the world.
• Background & Credentials:
You’ll need to pass a background check and secure a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act for access to secure areas of maritime facilities and vessels ($135). You will also need to secure credentials from the Georgia Ports Authority (no cost).
• Training Requirements:
Complete the online course Effective Ship Visiting (1 hour long) and Introduction to Seafarers Welfare & Maritime Ministry (5 hours long).
Is there a cost involved to volunteer?
There are a few upfront costs to consider. The first is $135 to apply for your Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), which is required for access to secure areas of maritime facilities and vessels. In addition, you will need to purchase required safety gear for $45—including a hardhat, work gloves, and a reflective vest—since you cannot enter the port without it. Finally, there is a $10 fee for the online courses that are part of the training process.