The Pritzker Military Foundation announces a commitment of $500,000 to support construction of the National Coast Guard Museum in New London, Conn., as well as the development of galleries/exhibits and programming. An additional $500,000 in matching funds are available under the grant.
The gift is in honor of the National Coast Guard Museum Association’s “When the Most is Expected” Capital Campaign. This year, the association will receive $100,000, the third installment of a five-year gift totaling $500,000.
“We are humbled and honored to extend our unwavering support to the campaign aimed at constructing a museum that will stand as a testament to the illustrious heritage of the U.S. Coast Guard,” said Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), founder of the Pritzker Military Foundation. “The organization deserves recognition on a grand scale and calls for a monumental institution where stories of valor, resilience, and selflessness can be shared with generations to come, while also embodying the Coast Guard’s rich history.”
The mission of the National Coast Guard Museum Association is to educate the public about the evolution of the maritime and military history of the Coast Guard and its contributions to America by delivering a world-class museum with robust programming.
“The incredibly generous grant and challenge commitment from the Pritzker Military Foundation substantially enhanced our capital campaign efforts towards a National Coast Guard Museum,” said National Coast Guard Museum Association President Captain Wes Pulver, USCG (Retired). “The foundation’s belief and investment in our project will not only honor those who have served our nation but will inspire generations to come. We are honored to be a part of the Pritzker philanthropic legacy and are dedicated to using their generous funds to make our nation proud.”
The U.S. Coast Guard is one of the country’s six armed forces and the only military branch in the Department of Homeland Security. The Coast Guard was founded as the Revenue Cutter Service on August 4, 1790, by then-Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton authorized the building of a fleet of ten cutters, whose responsibility would be enforcement of the first tariff laws enacted by Congress under the Constitution. Each year, the nation observes Coast Guard Day on August 4.
About Pritzker Military Foundation
The Pritzker Military Foundation seeks to support the work of nonprofit organizations in preserving American military history, restoring historic military artifacts and making them accessible to the public, and providing services and essential resources to past and present service members in all branches of the United States Armed Forces. To learn more, visit www.pritzkermilitaryfoundation.org.