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Gloucester nonprofit launches support fund for Lily Jean crew member families
The seven crew members of the Lily Jean fishing vessel are presumed dead after their ship sank outside Cape Ann last week.
The Gloucester community launched a fund to help provide for the families of seven crew members who died last week when their fishing vessel sank.
The Lily Jean Fund, named after the vessel, was started after an outpouring of support from Gloucester residents. The crew members are presumed to have perished after their ship sank Jan. 30 approximately 22 miles from Cape Ann.
“In the wake of this tragedy, there have been overwhelming expressions of support for the families of those who were lost, along with requests for a clear and trusted way to provide direct financial assistance,” the fund’s website reads. “The Lily Jean Fund has been created for this purpose.”
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The project is part of the Gloucester Fishing Community Preservation Fund, a nonprofit organization formed in 2007 to support local fishermen and protect the city’s fishing heritage. The fund is hosted by Cape Ann Savings Bank, according to the website.
The Lily Jean fund accepts tax-deductible donations online or by check and distributes the proceeds evenly among the crew members’ families. Checks can be mailed to Cape Ann Savings Bank or delivered in person to any of their branch locations, according to the website.
Additionally, the fund has announced that the first $40,000 donated will be met by a matching donation from an anonymous donor. All donations will go directly to the crew members’ families.
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Community members can also make donations to Fishing Partnership Support Services (FPSS), a nonprofit organization with four Massachusetts locations. Founded in 1997, the FPSS supports more than 20,000 New England fishing families, according to the organization’s website.
Local officials have voiced their support for the fund, including Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, who noted the importance of making sure the willing community knows what they can do.
“In the wake of this tragedy, there has been an extraordinary outpouring of compassion,” Tarr said in a press release Wednesday. “People want to help, and it is critically important that they have clear, trusted, and transparent ways to do so — both to support the families directly and to ensure that essential services are available to the community.”
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