2008 Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 17, 2008

Cruise Industry Distributes Winter Coats to New York City Children

The Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation (CICF) celebrated its partnership with Operation Warm and The New York City Clothing Bank at a holiday event held at the Carl C. Icahn elementary school located in the Bronx. Representatives from Operation Warm, the New York City Clothing Bank, and CICF were on hand to distribute new winter apparel to students attending the school. As part of the school’s holiday celebration, approximately 100 children kindergarten to 5th grade selected new winter coats, gloves, woolen hats, and a new toy.

This event commemorated a three year partnership between CICF and Operation Warm, a national non profit that provides new winter coats to secondary school students in 12 states. CICF and Operation Warm have conducted coat distributions in at-risk communities located in the states of Alaska, Virginia, New York, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. In 2009, CICF will continue to support Operation Warm’s efforts in several other port state locations.

For over twenty years, The New York City Clothing Bank has been the only program in New York City to distribute new apparel, toys, and other goods throughout all five boroughs. Clothes and merchandise are distributed through a members-network of over 200 shelters, soup kitchens, and nonprofits serving the homeless and needy.

Special guests who attended the holiday celebration at the school included: New York City Clothing Bank’s Executive Director, Luis Jimenez, Advisory Board Chairwoman Mary Lanning, Advisory Board Members Bill Montana, Ed Foy, Jason Winocour, and Shameela Mediratta; President of Operation Warm Kim Fortunato; Principal of the Carl Icahn Charter School, Daniel Garcia; and CICF Executive Director, Cynthia Colenda.

For over ten years, the cruise industry has supported organizations that work diligently to provide hope, education, and opportunity for the individuals they serve,” said James R. Border, Chairman of the Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation. “CICF is proud to partner with Operation Warm and The New York City Clothing Bank, as the industry continues to focus its efforts on charitable programs designed to improve the quality of life in communities where we do business.”

The state of New York ranked fourth in the nation in cruise industry expenditures. In 2007, the cruise industry's spending generated over 13,000 jobs and wages totaling $761 million in income throughout the New York economy. New York accounted for 6.2 percent of cruise industry direct expenditures with over $1 billion in direct spending. In addition, the state ranked fourth in the nation in industry expenditures.

The City of New York saw 575,000 passenger embarkations during 2007. Cruise vessels operate from both the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, which handled approximately 75 percent of the cruise passenger embarkations last year, and the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, which continues to increase its passenger embarkations.

###

The Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation (CICF), founded in 1998 by the members of the International Council of Cruise Lines, focuses its efforts on programs designed to strengthen and improve the quality of life in communities served by our industry. The Foundation supports civic and community development, educational assistance and training programs, and environmental preservation initiatives.