|
|
|
|
|
  |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
       |
|
 |
 |
AGENCIES
RECEIVING FUNDING IN 2007 ACI
- Adult Correctional Institution, Chaplin, Cranston – provides spiritual and religious programs for men and women who are
incarcerated, the staff and inmates families.
Services include administrative, volunteer supervision, worship
services, inmate advocacy and support groups.
ACT – All Children’s Theatre
Ensemble, Providence – serves children 4-16 years of age, focusing on education and outreach
through theatre arts. They are from a
diverse ethnic and geographic population throughout the state whose families
live below poverty level and those who receive public assistance. Integrated curriculum and dramatic arts
programs are provided for children with developmental disabilities from schools
and rehabilitation centers in the state.
The program will foster creative thinking, encourage teamwork, stimulate
the imagination, and improve literacy skills. AIDS Care Ocean State, Providence – The Donation Center is a free source of new and gently used
clothing, household items, Nutritional supplement drinks and bars that are
necessary for people with HIV and AIDS and are accessible to all clients. The Center assists in the prevention and
outreach of the needle exchange program. AIDS
Project Rhode Island Providence – provides direct services to
people living with HIV disease. The
Wellness Programs are designed to create a safe, non-judgmental environment,
where people affected by HIV/AIDS can strengthen their spirits, minds and
bodies. These programs provide direct client
services, assisting people in meeting their basic needs, and providing holistic
care. The program helps clients obtain
such items as prescriptions, food, and nutritional supplements, and provides
informational and support sessions and alternative therapies. Adoption Rhode Island,
Providence – The Child and Family Support
Program provides comprehensive support services for families adopting children
with special needs. The number of
children with special needs waiting for adoption has grown significantly over
the last decade and has reached a crisis level. Nearly all the children served have a history of abuse, neglect,
rejection, abandonment or trauma resulting in a variety of debilitating issues. Services include adoption preparation,
placement support, post adoption support and group and individual counseling to
address a wide range of needs such as the child’s previous victimization,
current and future safety issues, family adjustments and commitments. This agency plays a critical role in helping
the state find permanent answers for some of our most vulnerable citizens. Advent House, Providence – The mission is to provide homeless individuals, primarily those with
substance abuse issues and/or mental health problems, the structure and support
they need to put their lives in order and become self-sufficient. The Family Reunification Program provides a
supportive environment for homeless, single, male and female parents residing
at Advent House who have been separated from their children. Services are used for developing
self-awareness and promoting self-development and improving basic life
skills. Adventures in Learning, Gateway Healthcare, Pawtucket
– A unique outdoor education program offering experiential learning and
therapeutic serves for children suffering from emotional and behavioral
disorders. Through challenge and trust
activities, the youth redefine self-perceptions from destructive to
positive. Each child learns how to
anticipate the future consequences of actions based on their own decisions and
acquires the skills to make self-respecting responsible decisions. They develop personal motivation to try new
skills and identify, discuss and resolve many issues that have held them back. ALS-Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis of Rhode Island, Warwick –
often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, ALS is a fatal neuromuscular
disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of motor cells in the spinal
cord and brain. When the motor neurons
die, as with ALS, the patient becomes completely paralyzed, unable to move,
communicate/speak, eat and eventually breathe on their own. With this degeneration, the mind remains
alert and fully intake. In an effort to
help the patient communicate with loved ones, caregivers and medical
professionals, the equipment loan program includes a Handheld Impact Device
that is easily tailored to the special needs of each patient. This model supports a wide range of
interface methods and techniques, with unlimited spoken vocabulary provided by
speech synthesis. Selections can be
made via touch screen, integrated buttons, and keyboard for ALS patients. Patients will be able to communicate, even
with the slightest movement (such as an eyebrow). Amos House, Providence - provides critical medical and eyeglass prescriptions
to men, women and children without medical coverage and with limited or zero
income. Amos House fills prescription requests from shelter guests, most of
whom have serious medical issues and those who are referred from hospitals,
local doctors and other social service agencies. The need for this program
continues to grow rapidly. Bayside Family Healthcare, Inc, North
Kingstown – provides
medical, dental, and interim mental healthcare to uninsured and underinsured
families, most of who are living at or below the federal poverty level. Access to care within a reasonable driving
distance is a problem for this underserved population in an area where there is
a shortage of primary care providers who accept low-income patients with
Medicaid or no insurance coverage.
Bayside is the only provider in the area offering a “sliding scale” fee
in accordance with Federal guidelines.
No one is turned away because they cannot pay. Bishop’s
Discretionary Fund - a “fund of last resort" to many individuals
and families in trouble, as well as scholarships for our men and women in
seminary. Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center, Central Falls – provides
comprehensive domestic violence services through programs that include the
Residential Program Telephone Helpline, Outreach Vocational Program, Court
Program, Community Support Group, Latina Advocacy Program, Community Awareness,
Elder Abuse Prevention, Transition, and Housing Programs along with emergency
shelter to women and their children who are victims of domestic violence. Bradford
Jonnycake Center, Bradford - provides a thrift shop, food pantry, and emergency
financial assistance to low-income people and those in need in the Westerly and
Chariho areas. Clients receive help in their search for employment and assistance
with tuition for vocational education. Bradford
L. Dunn Institute, Providence – provides programs and services that address the needs of
those living or working with learning differences, such as dyslexia, ADHA,
auditory processing issues, speech and language deficits, sensory integration
issues and nonverbal learning disabilities, among others. The mission is to help all children with
learning differences be successful in school and in life by providing training
for teachers, services for students and resources for families and the
community. The Summer Program will
provide forty-two low-income students in grades k-6 with supplemental education
during the month of July.
Bread of Life Ministries, Pawtucket - Operating out of St. Luke’s Church in Pawtucket, has been in operation
for 21 years serving low-income and the working poor. The Food Closet and Soup Kitchen are open on the 2nd
and 4th Thursday of each month from 10:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. and
served 779 individuals in 2004.
Clothing is donated by parishioners and other churches. Outreach services are offered as well as
assistance with rent, utility and prescription assistance. Bread of Life is operated by many volunteers
who have been on board for many years. Butler
Hospital, Children’s Transition Program, Providence – The Child and Adolescent Transition Program is an integral part of a
patient’s overall treatment program. A
comprehensive plan is necessary upon discharge so that the patient has the
skills and direction needed to integrate successfully back into society. Poor planning results in improper medication
usage, inability to function and frequent re-admissions. This alternative is highly individualized,
flexible and intensive. Each family and
child or adolescent is provided with a comprehensive, personalized plan that
allows him or her to successfully return home.
The team of social workers, care planners and nurses develop a
structured program to be followed and works closely with the family, schools
and community agencies.
Camp
Ruggles, North Scituate – offers respect, acceptance, support and success
for campers ages 6-12 who suffer from emotional handicaps. The camp provides respite from daily
challenges and builds new lifelong skills used at home, in school and in the
community. Campers are from low and
moderate-income families living in RI’s urban communities or in state care
residing group homes. Funds will
provide assessment and counseling, recreation activities, transportation,
breakfast, lunch and snack for under-privileged campers whose families and
guardians cannot meet the cost of camp fees. CareNet-Rhode Island, Cranston – is committed to helping women and men
make informed, life-affirming decisions concerning pregnancy, relationships and
sexual behavior. CareNet does not
recommend or refer for abortion.
Services offered are pregnancy tests, options consultation, and sexual
integrity education and abortion recovery.
Those who carry their babies may enroll in the New Beginnings program
and be mentored on a one-on-one, weekly basis throughout the pregnancy to learn
about prenatal care, nutrition, the birthing process and parenting skills.
Caritas House, Pawtucket –cares for substance abusers,
ages 13-17 and their families. Other
issues of are learning disabilities and behavioral disorders. The Summer Arts Program is designed to
enhance the self-esteem of rehabilitating adolescents by providing for creative
self-expression and accomplishment in the Fine Arts. By engaging in an artistic endeavor that fosters mutual respect
and helpfulness, adolescents will overcome socially uncooperative
tendencies. Self-esteem, improved by
completion of a Fine Arts project din in a social setting, leads to improved
confidence. Success here will encourage
the attempt to succeed in a regular classroom. Central Falls Family Self- Sufficiency Program, Central
Falls – was established because
families needed extra support to complete their education, join the workforce
and become economically self-sufficient.
The Youth Employment Program guides teens toward self-sufficiency by
teaching job skills and life skills in an environment that stresses the
necessity of staying in school. The
majority of teens enrolled in YEP live in households that have experienced a
history of generational dependence on public assistance. With a solid education and a living wage,
teens (14 – 18) will be fully contributing members of the Central Falls
community. Child & Family Services of Newport County – has an active Volunteer
Program and enrolled 346 volunteers last year.
They contributed over 13,500 hours of service to help the children and
families of Newport County. They are
recruited, supported and recognized and supervised by competent staff. The Parent to Parent Program offers parents
that are overwhelmed with home management and parenting issues the opportunity
to meet a volunteer parent mentor each week to establish a supportive and
trusting relationship. This will
improve parenting skills and stabilize families to prevent State intervention. Friendly Visitors visit the homebound
elderly regularly to reduce loneliness that assist with health issues and
provide social contact. Reading
together provides volunteers to read to boys, 6-12, living in group homes to
provide a positive adult role model, introduce appropriate literature, improve
social interaction, and help with reading enjoyment. Childhood Lead Action Project, Providence – educates
parents about the dangers of lead based paint and to raise awareness of
strategies and resources available to prevent child from being poisoned. Children’s Shelter of Blackstone Valley, Pawtucket - provides
comprehensive care of abused and neglected boys and girls, ages birth through
12, who are abused, abandoned and neglected.
They will receive safe, secure, more long-term shelter in the community,
clothing and nutritious food.
Experienced childcare staff, caseworkers and the shelter’s clinician
will give emotional and educational support. City Camp, Olneyville - the only opportunity for many
inner city children to have supervised summer recreation and time in a country
setting. It is a well-planned urban day
camp that operates for 8 weeks in the summer in the Olneyville neighborhood of
Providence. It provides at-risk
children and their families an alternative to the economic depression and
violence of the inner city. For boys
and girls, ages 6-12. City Meal Site Soup Kitchen at the
Cathedral of St. John, Providence - provides complete, hearty and healthy meals
each Tuesday. Throughout the year,
11,000 hot meals and 7,000 box lunches are served. Clothing, fellowship and comfort are provided in a safe and
supportive environment to anyone in need.
The majority of the staff is dedicated volunteers. City Year,
Providence – recruits
diverse 17-24 year olds for a challenging year of fulltime community service,
civic engagement and leadership development.
Corp members include young men and women of diverse racial, ethnic,
economic and educational backgrounds.
They are College and high school graduates. Everyday, corps members mobilize in teams to deliver high-impact
service to children in need. Young
Heroes provide after-school academic enrichment opportunities are provided to
area schools and community organizations.
The goal of the Young Heroes program is to build leaders who not only
feel a sense of civic responsibility and self worth but also have the skills
necessary to put that sense of responsibility into action. Corp members tackle
challenging issues, such as homelessness, bullying, discrimination and
environmental protection. Leadership
training includes how to lead diverse teams, communicate persuasively,
understand community needs and get things done. They change the negative stereotype of young people by learning
and acting for the good of the community.
Compassionate Friends
Organization, East Greenwich – a bereavement support organization
that assists families toward the positive resolution of grief to parents,
grandparents and adult siblings following the death of a child of any age. It is a peer support group where all support
offered is done entirely by volunteers who are bereaved family members. Services include monthly support group
meeting, annual memorial gatherings, newsletters, library, community helpline,
and educational speaking engagements. Cornerstone Adult Services, Inc., Warwick – provides
services for frail elderly, impaired adults and individuals with Alzheimer’s
disease at four adult day centers, including a specialized Alzheimer’s Care
Center. Services help maintain each
individuals present level of functioning for as long as possible and pros their
maximum level of independence. The
program can forestall the need for a long-term care facility and allowing
elders and impaired adults to remain in their home with their families and in
the community. Crossroads Rhode Island, Providence – the
Family Center in Warwick is the shelter of last resort. The goal is to provide immediate food and
shelter assistance to families who would otherwise be living on the streets, in
cars, or in other inhabitable conditions.
After responding to their most urgent needs, the underlying reasons that
lead a person to Crossroads, a search is made for long-term solutions. Social workers assist families to identify
housing and financial resources as well as education and job training necessary
to secure the family’s transition into safe, affordable, long-term housing Da Vinci
Center for Community Progress, Inc., Providence – designed to give knowledge and support to
parents of teenagers (14-19) by offering three 10-week sessions with 10-12
parents in each group over a nine-month period. This is offered to families in
low-income areas of Providence. The
program offers six lectures on various pertinent topics of interest and need to
parents of teens. Topics include Your
Teenager and the Internet, Teen Dating, Drug and Alcohol Presentation - Signs
of Use, Reinforcing the Positive, Cell Phone and Carriers – Use and Abuse,
Developing Leadership Qualities in Your Teen.
The goal is to boost parents skills and confidence.
Davisville
Free Library, North Kingstown - program
for children that includes story hours, summer reading programs, arts and
crafts in the Quonset/Davisville area.
The EvenStart Program seeks to enhance family literacy through
collaborative efforts of the elementary school, the library and neighborhood
families. Day One, (formally Sexual Assault
& Trauma Resource Center of RI) - The Children’s Advocacy Center provides
evaluation, evidence gathering and treatment services for young victims of
child abuse and/or violent physical abuse and their non-offending family
members/guardians. Through a comprehensive multidisciplinary team approach,
professionals from child protective services, law enforcement, criminal
justice, and the medical and mental health communities come together under one
roof so that the child only has to tell of the abuse one time. This helps to prevent further trauma to the
child caused by multiple interviews and contacts with responding
professionals. Team members observe and
participate from behind a one-way mirror and the interview is videotaped and
submitted to the courts. Diabetes Resource Center, North Providence - Serves emergency medication, medical
supplies and other needs of the homeless, uninsured or underinsured high-risk
patients with diabetes who are culturally or otherwise disadvantaged. Providing medicine, medical supplies and
culturally appropriate case management can prevent hospitalization. Access to primary care is also available. Diocesan Scholarship Fund
- provides assistance primarily to high school graduates moving on to
college or vocational training. Domestic Violence Resource Center
of South County, Wakefield – Domestic violence refers to a
pattern of assaultive and coercive behavior exercised by one person over
another to gain power and control in a domestic or intimate relationship. The Support Group Program encourages victims
to start breaking the cycle of violence in their lives through sharing
experiences and feelings with others in similar situations. Support programs are also offered to men in
the community who have faced violence.
The center provides support and preventive services to those facing
threatening situations. Participants
are from different cultural and economic backgrounds and ages range from 18-81 East Bay Coalition for the Homeless/Self-Help, Riverside -
operates and houses the only transitional housing for homeless families and
their children in the East Bay area with 12 transitional housing units in East
Providence, Warren and Bristol. To
provide a continuum-or-care approach to their complex needs, each family in the
program receives case management and supportive services in addition to housing
to help them become self-reliant. EBCH
believes that every homeless family, given proper support and resources, has
the ability to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. East Bay Mental Health Center,
Inc., (EBMHA), East Providence – The Children’s Outpatient
Program offers counseling services for children and adolescents who are
experiencing emotional or behavioral problems stemming from neglect, trauma
and/or abuse. There may be substance
abuse within the family or a first-degree relative who has been incarcerated. Children learn new coping skills and develop
more effective ways to solve problems and communicate with others. Elizabeth
Buffum Chace House, Warwick – The Elder Services Program
addresses the need to assist abused senior citizens. Domestic elder abuse may be the most underreported crime. These cases are more difficult than cases of
spousal abuse since victims do not want to sever relations with their children,
but want to have safe interactions with them.
They must learn to navigate a legal system that is complex and difficult
to understand. Felony cases may take
years to conclude, leaving victims to cope with anxieties, family pressure and
unresolved financial, housing and care issues.
It can be an incomprehensible and intimidating process. Services address issues of safety, linking
seniors and non-offending family members with resources and assisting with
criminal and court procedures. Services
include telephone support, in-person support, home visits, court accompaniment,
case coordination, referrals and advocacy.
English for Action, Providence – focuses on immigrants in the
Olneyville section of Providence, coming from Latin American countries, to
access resources, acquire quality jobs, and advocate for their children’s
success in public schools. The staff
recruits and trains a team of 20 volunteer teachers and members from local
universities. All staff has bachelor
degrees from Brown University in Developmental Studies, Latin American History
and International Relations. Latin
American adults and children are involved in the program. Epiphany Soup Kitchen, Providence – serves a
healthy, well-balanced, Saturday dinner meal to individuals, families and
children in the South Providence Area.
This is one of two facilities in the area to serve a Saturday dinner
meal. The site serves as a critical
location for social gathering of families and children and needy people who
live alone. Everett
Dance Theatre, Providence – Their
mission is to create, perform, teach and build community through the arts and
with a special emphasis on providing professional level training to low-income,
inner-city youth who have limited access to the arts. The company serves youth both at its facility and through
outreach programming at Providence public schools, recreation centers and other
community settings. Family
Resources Community Action, Woonsocket – The
Shelter program provides a safe supportive haven for homeless individuals and
families in distress and gives them the opportunity to restructure their lives
and plan for the future. This is the
only homeless shelter in the Woonsocket area the operates year round, and it is
the largest shelter program in Northern Rhode Island, serving approximately 80
adults and children per night. The goal
is to help transition families and individuals to affordable permanent housing. Family Van, Providence – a “minority health promotion center on wheels”, is a culturally
sensitive, comprehensive vehicle-based health outreach program designed to
address health disparities in our communities.
The van brings educational materials, health screenings and referral
services right to people's neighborhoods in a consistent way, in the privacy of
a mobile van. In this relaxed,
non-judgmental atmosphere of the van, residents have developed a trusting
relationship with providers. The van is
located weekly in parking lots of community centers and had a presence at
various area schools providing health presentations, events and seminars. Friends Way, Warwick - a haven for healing and hope, providing free community and volunteer
based bereavement support to children, teens and families who have experienced
high trauma death loss. Traumatic death
is sudden or unexpected death such as suicide, multiple family suicide, sibling
loss, and sudden death in front of children, heart attack, car accident or
murder witnessed by a child. The
Traumatic Death Loss group started just after the Station Night Club fire.
Children learn that ALL feelings are okay and are taught to recognize appreciate
and express feelings in a safe manner. Presentations
and in-service training workshops are provided to schools, hospitals, civic,
and professional organizations throughout the state with regard to children,
loss and grief. Galilee Mission to Fishermen, Narragansett – a
12-bed residential treatment facility for men over 18 who are in early stages
of recovery from substance abuse and provide a recovery program. Captain Tim
House is a transitional sober housing facility for 6 adult males who have
completed a substance abuse program, but still require sober housing. The Fishermen’s Relief Fund
assists families with emergency funds for rent, utilities, etc., while a family
member is going through recovery. Soup
is brought to the docks in Galilee twice a week. Genesis
Center, Providence – a multi-cultural educational agency that provides
English as a Second Language instruction and job training to immigrants and
refugees in the greater Providence area.
Education is available to newcomers to America and giving them the
resources available in the community that can help them deal with problems that
face them as they make the transition to a new country. Goodwill Industries of RI,
Providence – attempts to lessen the 75% unemployment
among people with disabilities and other barriers to employment by providing
quality education, social and employment services that result in jobs and
increased personal independence. This
need expands due to welfare reform.
Those being served are people with serious disabilities, mental illness,
brain injury, deafness, learning disability, blindness and physical
disabilities. 40% are women in
transition from welfare and judged from at risk families. Approximately 30% are Latin, 10% African
American, 60% under 30 years of age and the majority are from families of low
income. Hallworth House, Providence - is a
skilled nursing facility with 57 beds and is generally considered to be one of
the best skilled nursing care institutions in the state, providing programs to
meet the physical needs of residents.
The Rehabilitation Center has a comprehensive program tailored to each
individual that will impact fitness to facilitate better psychosocial well
being, increase strength and reduce bone loss and lesson anxiety and
depression. Hattie Ide
Chaffee Home, East Providence – The
Gardening for Good is a horticultural Therapy Program for any resident who
shows interest in participation. A
therapist works with the residents on producing and planting seeds, and
transplanting. Residents enjoy the
outdoor environment while nurturing vegetables, flowers and herbs. HELP – Homeless Ecumenical
Leadership Program, Providence – builds a community among the
homeless that will strengthen them individually and empower them collectively.
The center provides a safe, cheery place for people to gather for coffee and
conversation, clothes and hygiene products and other support and who serve as
referral sources. It’s a place where homeless people can find respect. Homefront Health Care, Providence – is
one of the oldest and largest agencies of its type in Rhode Island. The mission is to provide home care and
supportive services to frail elderly and individuals with disabilities,
including children, to assist them in continuing to live a home as long as
possible. The focus is chronically ill,
low-income individuals. Services
include skilled nursing care, medication management, vital sign monitoring,
assistance with bathing, dressing, respite care and homemaker services. House of Hope, Warwick - dedicated to helping disadvantaged families
and individuals who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. The House has grown into a community
development corporation with seven multi-unit housing properties for the
homeless, very low income and special needs families and individuals. Supportive services, healthy meals and basic
needs are provided to all. Biannual physical and mental screening of the
residents will facilitate this program. IN-SIGHT, Warwick – The initial mission was to provide jobs for people who are legally
blind. They have expanded their
programs and services, integrating a holistic philosophy that addresses the
psychological as well as the physical challenges facing people with vision
loss. They offer vision rehabilitation
services for adults and children, computer training, a low vision clinic and a
closed-circuit radio reading service. Institute for the Practice and Study
of Nonviolence, Providence – their mission is to teach by word and example the principles and practices of
nonviolence and to foster a community that addresses potentially violent
situations with nonviolent solutions.
Children in schools today are more prone to using extreme verbal abuse
or physically trying to resolve disputes.
The Institute utilizes a corps of contract trainers who have
participated in the Training of Trainers (TOT) and then placed in classrooms to
offer young people alternatives to violence and to provide positive
reinforcement of positive choices.
Target population is the student body in elementary grades 3-5, middle
and high schools in racially and ethnically diverse urban schools. Many of the trainers are chosen from their
own neighborhoods. They become
community members, who young people can turn to, and as a result strengthening
the fabric of a neighborhood and creating the Beloved Community. Interfaith Community Dire Emergency Fund, Providence – a fund of last resort for
individuals who require assistance with utilities, rent, and heating
assistance, and prescriptions and who have no other resource for aid or have
exhausted all other resources of help.
They are people who become unemployed unexpectedly due to company
closings, downsizing, those who suffer the rising cost of housing and utility
costs. The intake person will gather client information and provide guidance
and referral services. Interfaith Counseling Center,
Providence – is
expanding its capacity to underwrite counseling for low-income and indigent
clients. There are currently no other
counseling centers in the state that offer faith-sensitive counseling to those
without insurance or the mean to pay for much needed services. The poor economy, in combination with rising
housing costs is putting high levels of emotional and psychological stress on
individuals and families. The Center is treating the most vulnerable people
suffering from mental illness, victimization of all kinds, and/or substance
abuse. They include single parents, poor working families, and the elderly. International
Institute of Rhode Island, Inc., Providence - The Citizenship
Scholarship program is targeted towards heads of families who represent needy
refugee and immigrant clients unable to afford the inherent costs involved with
applying for United States Citizenship.
Fees continue to increase. For many, the dream of becoming an American
may be unreachable. They receive
assistance that includes professional, legal and naturalization services to
help family heads work through this process. JONAH (Join Our Neighborhood And Help) Community Center,
Warwick – “dedicated to providing outreach, education, socialization
and quality services which strengthen families and individuals of the Warwick
community”. It provides an after school
program that includes homework assistance, computer classes, Tai Chi, sports board
games music and various art forms. The center is rapidly growing with youth and
teen activities, like the Friday Night Teen Band Jams and the Whalin’ Coffee
House. JONAH also provides meals and
recreational programming to local seniors, nursing home residents and
physically and mentally challenged elders. Literacy Volunteers of America-Rhode Island, Providence –
conducts an annual learning conference that is designed to provide information,
resources and new skills to adult learners.
Programs are one-on-one tutor/adult learner relationships. Tutors and students work on specific learner
goals, primary employ and family related activities. The conference is an opportunity for adult learners to come
together to celebrate their achievements. Lucy’s Hearth, Newport
- a temporary, transitional shelter for homeless women and their children,
providing safe shelter in a supportive and caring environment and goal oriented
support services which will enable the residents to begin to lead more
productive and self-reliant lives and prevention of future chronic
homelessness. McAuley House, Providence – a house
of hospitality, provides continental breakfast and a full nutritious noon meal
6 days per week to approximately 225 people each day. Many guests are unable to afford to pay rent, or must choose
between rent and food. Shelter vouchers
are provided to avoid homelessness.
Prescription vouchers age given to those without medical insurance. Residents receive counseling and referrals
to a network of agencies serving the homeless and very low income. Advocacy and emotional support is given to
help change the conditions that weigh heavily on the lives of the poor. Meals on
Wheels, Providence – is the only home delivered
meal program in the state, the largest population being 60 + years. Each meal delivered provides 1/3 of a
senior’s daily nutritional requirement. In addition to providing a nutritious
meal and provide safety check to those most isolation and vulnerable, the
homebound. Mental Health Association of Rhode Island, Pawtucket – Access-RI is a statewide program servings
adults age18 and over who are chronically homeless with mental illness and/or
substance abuse issues. They are the
poorest of the poor, having little or no resources and often no hope. Assistance is given with support and
referral services for affordable housing, to develop and meet treatment plans
and goals, employment and education.
Medication, food and clothing and other basic necessities are provided. Mount Hope Neighborhood Association,
Providence – The Youth Development Center provides programs and services to children
from low-income families. This is part
of Providence’s multi-purpose network comprised of 11 neighborhood-based
organizations serving this population.
Programs are offered on a six-week cycle, some repeat several times a
year. After school programs include
one-on-one tutoring, computer labs, cooking classes, arts, crafts, piano
lessons, photography, library resources and field trips.
NEW HOPE – Emergency Shelter of Pawtucket and Central Falls,
Inc. – a program in response to
the churches of Central Falls and Pawtucket to the growing needs of the
increased population of the homeless.
New Hope is dedicated to keeping the family unit together while
supporting each individual’s needs as well as achieving the family’s goals.
Services provided are case management, life skills, counseling, money
management, parenting, tutoring, and summer enrichment programs for
children. With donations through
referrals, food, rental assistance, clothing toiletries and furniture are also
provided. Nickerson Community Center,
Providence – The
Youth Initiatives Program offers at-risk youth positive alternative activities
during the dime of day when they are easily lured into more negative
behavior. Sports activities are offered
during after-school hours, early evenings and youth are kept busy and active
while being educated on character building teamwork
and responsibility. Most middle schools
in Providence do not offer after school activities and it is these hours where
children are more likely to get into trouble.
Target population is minorities that include Hispanic, African American,
Laotian, Cambodian and Caucasian.
People to End Homelessness
(Peer-to-Peer Outreach Project), Providence –serves
very low-income, transient and homeless people. The unsheltered homeless are among the hardest to reach with
traditional outreach and services. The
traumas in their lives that led to homelessness cover a range of issues
substance abuse, racism, poverty, mental illness, and imprisonment. The
on-the-street evening and day outreach provides direct services (a place to
take a shower and wash laundry) as well as referrals to all other social
service programs. PICA – Providence Intown Churches Association, Providence – the mission
is to provide direct services to meet the basic needs of the poor and homeless
of Providence. PICA provides four main
areas of program services; a daily Food Pantry; a weekly Community meal on
Friday evenings; and Inreach program for socialization among the residents of
Dexter Manor; an a Resident Advocate who provides crisis intervention
referrals, counseling and visitations at Dexter Manor and Crossroads Rhode
Island. The program is designed to
alleviate isolation and fear for the poor and homelessness. Progreso Latino, Providence – the Wellness Center provides support,
guidance, recreational activities, employment, health, and education services
to the elderly, 50 years and over, the Latino and immigrant community,
especially the uninsured. Services
include basic medical screenings such as blood pressure and glucose testing,
referrals to health care providers and health education through monthly
workshops. Providence Children’s Museum,
Providence – Head
Start/Good Start provides needed positive learning experiences for thousands of
underprivileged children, support for their parents and skill building
workshops for Head Start teachers and teacher aides. The program serves 1,250 three to five-year olds enrolled in
Providence Head Start 85% are members of racial/ethnic minorities and all live
below the poverty level. They have
little exposure to resources beyond home and school. Providence Public Library, Providence
– Teen POWer
provides quality educational after school programs in a safe place during the
critical after school hours for at-risk children. The program offers teenagers salaries, on-the-job training and
work experience while assisting and mentoring younger children in developing
computer and reading skills, help with homework and instill a lifelong love of
learning. Providence
Summerbridge – provides a
comprehensive educational experience that is designed to help make Providence
inner-city students more competitive with youth from communities of greater
affluence. Students’ potential is
increased for success by accelerating their academic levels and surrounding
them with well-prepared, young educators who are excited about the Summerbridge
mission. The targeted students are from
low-income families, and many are from single parent homes. The challenges of
cultural differences, poverty, and single parent family structures complicate
an already difficult time in life. Reach Out and Read/Rhode Island – The mission is to make books
and literacy guidance a part of pediatric primary care, so that children grow
up loving books. The long-term goal is
to provide books for all needy preschool children, and literacy guidance for
their parents. The target population is
6 months through 5 year-old children from low-income families who do not have
books in their homes. At health visits
for these children they will receive a new, age and culturally appropriate book
from their physician. Physicians will
use the book to assess development in areas of motor, cognitive and
socio-emotional growth; talk to parents about the importance of sharing books
with their child every day, make referrals to adult literacy programs when
appropriate, and give the book to the family for their home, resulting in a
home library of at least 10 beautiful children’s books before the child starts
first grade. Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, Providence -
STREET SHEET is a survival guide in brochure form that details shelters,
meal sites and other vital information for the homeless and those at risk. The STREET SHEET is distributed to the
homeless at over 150 shelters, meal sites, emergency service providers, and
social service agencies, courts, hospitals and police departments. There are five versions: Providence in English
and Spanish, Northern RI/Blackstone Valley in English and Spanish and the
Newport/South County/Kent County edition.
Last year, more than 30,000 copies were published. The community greatly values STREET SHEETS as
they direct people to food, shelter and emergency assistance. Rhode Island Community Food Bank,
Providence – solicits,
stores and distributes
surplus food and grocery products to member agency programs that provide food
to the hungry. Millions of pounds of
donated meat, canned goods, dry goods, fresh produce and everyday household
items are distributed into the community through our network of 400 member
agencies. Approximately 51,000 meals
are provided each month. The member network represents faith-based programs,
food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, community centers, advocacy
organizations, non-profit child-care programs, group homes and transition
housing communities. Programs include:
Operation Frontline where professionals teach cooking, nutrition and
food budgeting classes; Community Kitchen is a 14 week program teaching
low-income or unemployed adults skills they need to obtain entry-level food
service industry jobs; the Community Harvest creates nutritious meals for Kids
Café, exclusively for children at risk of hunger. Food for all programs is donated. Rhode Island Donation Exchange
Program, Providence - as the only agency of its kind, it is
dedicated to enhance the quality of life of those individuals and families who
are least able to meet their own basic human needs through the provision of
essential furniture and household items, new clothing and building materials. Rhode
Island Family Shelter, Inc. (formerly
Warwick Shelter) – is dedicated to assisting homeless families with
shelter and/or decent, safe, permanent housing. A comprehensive program provided to families that include the
provision of all basic necessities, case management, life skills training,
health services, educational tutoring and assistance, art and drama therapy and
nutritional information. The mission is
to keep homeless families together while ensuring their dignity and independence. RICAREs-RI
Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts, Providence – is a
grassroots program that provides peer-to-peer services to people in substance
abuse recovery. The mission is to put a
positive face on and to reduce the stigma associated with recovery. Addiction to alcohol and drugs has the
unfortunate effect of taking over a person’s life. The program provides
educational workshops, drug free social activities and speaker’s bureau. Recovery Baskets are given to clients who do
not have the means or ability to purchase the most basic items such as personal
hygiene products, food, recovery and spiritually related literature. Riverwood
Mental Health Services, Warren – Persons with psychiatric
illnesses are about twice as likely as the general population to smoke tobacco,
a major contributing factor to the lowered life expectancy of people with
chronic mental illness. They also tend
to smoke more heavily than other smokers.
Riverwood provides community based living for people with mental illness
and is strong advocates for their clients, offering a number of programs to
help them choose healthy lifestyles.
This grant will assist in the smoking cessation program RiverzEdge Arts Project, Woonsocket – provides
summer and after-school instruction in painting and graphic design for
disadvantaged high school students in Woonsocket. Students are paid a stipend and are taught marketing techniques
to advertise and sell their work. This
after-school program is structured to elicit participant commitment and
dedication by requiring the maintenance of a high school grade average of or
better, regular program attendance, completion of 72 hours of training and
service before eligibility to earn wages and demonstration of acceptable work
practices and team collaboration. Robert J. Wilson House, Pawtucket – an
intensive residential treatment center for males who are challenged by
substance abuse-addiction problems, and who may also be diagnosed with a
co-occurring mental and/or HIV. The
goal of the program is to help residents achieve sobriety, obtain employment
and transition to independent living.
Most of the 150+ persons who are admitted to the House annually are
indigent and do not have any health insurance coverage. Many do not have families or other support
systems. They often lack basic
necessities such as soap toothpaste and brushes, razors, clothing, medications Saint Elizabeth Community, East
Greenwich – conducts a vocational training program
that provides individuals with the skills and preparation for certification as
a Certified Nursing Assistant. The
course is offered without cost to qualified trainees. Students must pass a certification exam administered they the
State to begin to provide direct care to residents. This grant would allow us to continue to train, evaluate and
recruit the most qualified graduates with the highest medical standards and the
most current techniques in long-term and Alzheimer’s care, providing excellent
care to residents. Samaritans, Providence – provides emotional support
to prevent suicide through the internationally recognized model of befriending
to people of all ages who are hopeless, alone, suicidal, or to caregivers and
the grieving. The mission is facilitated
by maintaining an anonymous, free, statewide, volunteer-based philanthropically
supported 24-hour Hotline/Listening Line.
The grant is to underwrite 10 volunteeer scholarships. Ten volunteers will, in turn, donate 2,000
hours of community service. Saving Sight Rhode Island, Warwick – Project Eye Care is designed to obtain comprehensive eye care,
treatment and screening for the state's indigent, working poor and those
without health insurance. Early
detection of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration for adults
& seniors and childhood eye diseases through screenings to evaluate risk
factor will greatly minimize irreversible eye damage. Over 10,000 free vision screenings a year are performed,
including eye diseases and disorder detection.
Promotes eye education and safety. Seamen’s Church Institute, Newport – The Human Services
Program assists individuals and families who have limited financial resources
to acquire basic services associated with daily living. Services include direct
assistance, community referrals, compassionate listening and pragmatic
recommendations to improve their lives. Seniors Helping Others, Kingston – the Supportive Services program
provides support to frail elderly, disabled and homebound populations in the
southern third of RI. Many have outlived
their ability to drive and their families live at a distance and their access
to services is limited. Programs
include transportation to medical/dental appointments and the pharmacy,
visitors or callers who contact them weekly to provide companionship and safety
checks, and respite for full-time caregivers.
SHO also coordinates Meals on Wheels (MOW) delivery to homebound
individuals. Rolling Library services
are provided to MOW recipients and nursing home residents through a partnership
with local libraries and Women’s Clubs. Sojourner House, Inc., Providence – the Elder Safety and Abuse
Prevention Program (ESAPP) serves elderly people who are victims of domestic
abuse (physical, emotional, psychological and financial) in Providence
County. ESAPP seeks to improve or
maintain optimal function of the individual, enhance and strengthen positive
family and community supports, provide ease of access to needed services, and
encourage active participation in developing a plan for care and services. Sophia Academy, Providence – is a
nondenominational middle school for girl’s grades 5-8 from low-income,
multi-cultural families in Greater Providence and who are at risk. With multiple social and educational needs
in urban Providence, there is a critical need for alternative school programs
that particularly address the specific academic and developmental needs of
low-income middle school girls.
Sophia’s unique educational model strives to provide the best possible
opportunities for students and their families, enabling the whole family to
progress in education and employment.
Programs are designed to enable girls to learn and achieve at their
highest potential, directly addressing the alarming trend of increased high school
drop out rates among minority girls. South Providence Neighborhood Ministries, Providence – provides
programs to meet basic human needs, enriching the quality of life for children
and adults, encouraging self-worth and self-sufficiency and fostering a sense
of community pride in a neighborhood of diverse ethnic, racial and social
backgrounds. After school and summer
programs are provided for high-risk, low-income, minority youth in the south
side of Providence. The program
emphasizes homework help and tutoring, learning and practicing nonviolent,
problem solving skills and enrichment opportunities. Southside Community Land Trust, Providence – maintains community gardens and green-space, created from the blight
of vacant lots, to meet the nutritional, health and recreational needs of urban
dwellers. City residents can grow
culturally acceptable foods in lead safe soil, providing them with fresh
produce, personal satisfaction, and savings on grocery bills. The gardens serve as neighborhood gathering
places where people of various cultural backgrounds can come together in a
common interest and to build community.
15 gardens covering over 5 acres exist in Providence. The project seeks to strengthen the
community by giving voice, hope, education, understanding and beautiful open
spaces. St.
Andrew’s School, Barrington -a co-educational boarding and day
school for youngsters in grades 5 through 12 serving students with learning
disabilities or learning style differences that impede their academic progress
and/or personal development. The curriculum
is geared toward the specific way in which each individual student learns best. St. George’s Meal Site, Central Falls – Provides a
weekly balanced and complete meal to those of low income. People who come to the site have developed
friendships and a sense of community.
Volunteers from the various surrounding churches provide the bulk of
labor involved in providing the meal.
Those who come for the meal are Hispanic, Afro-American, Cape Verde, and
Caucasian. St. Mary’s
Home for Children, Shepherd Program, North Providence - the
Shepherd Program provides residential and outpatient therapy for sexually
abused male and female children and their families, including education and
prevention programs. Services are
available statewide to children and parents.
It is the most comprehensive program of its kind in the state and a
model for other states. The clinicians
and staff provide assessment services, individual, group and family therapy to
child victims, children with sexual behavior problems, juvenile sex offenders,
non-offending parents and adult survivor of sexual abuse. Thundermist
Health Center of West Warwick, - provides quality health care
services, without regard for ability to pay, to the local population, including
a family physician, nurse practitioner and a dental hygienist. The Center
enables all members of the family to be seen by the same practitioner to
provide continuity of care. The Center
serves residents of the community who live at or below the poverty limit who
are at risk of negative health outcomes due to lack of access to primary health
care. Tomorrow
Fund, Providence – the Emergency Family Needs Program assists parents and families to deal with the devastating impact
of their child's life-threatening illness, recovery or death. The program
assists with diagnosis interpretation, medication not covered by insurance,
transportation to specialty sites for immediate testing or treatment, rent for
families at risk of eviction, co-payments for parking, food, lodging, etc. The
number of cancer-stricken children treated at The Tomorrow Fund Clinic at
Hasbro Children’s Hospital has grown dramatically. Trinity
Repertory Company, Providence –
provides access to an American Sign Language (ASL) performance for each of
their season productions to the deaf and hard of hearing community. It is a commitment of Trinity Rep’s to
continue their Tony Award-winning theater programs to provide this access. Sharing stories is an intrinsic human
activity; telling those stories through the art for of theater opens people to
a world of vast possibilities and infinite surprise. These performances create compelling, thought provoking, high
quality theater; the deaf and hard of hearing community must not be excluded
from this artistic experience. Trinity
rep’s performances offer every member of the audience to experience diversity
and to learn other lifestyles. It is an
opportunity for families and friends to participate together in a cultural
event. TSETSE Gallery, Providence – focuses on a group of children who are
often overlooked for enrichment programs because of the challenges they present
both motivationally and behaviorally.
Target population is multi-cultural and very low-income children. Art programs are implemented for children
who have a variety of special needs caused by mental and physical abuse,
neglect ADHD and other physical limitations.
The children served require this type of programs in order to enhance
their emotional stability, self-esteem, and communication skills and assist them
to become more emotionally grounded.
Every student is encouraged to become involved. Children who sit on the youth advisory board
convey the message for participants of the program that this not just about the
art, but “their gallery.”
United Methodist Elder Care, East Providence – is an
affordable continuum of housing and care serving very low to moderate income
seniors, offering assisted living, skilled nursing care and long term care and
rehabilitative services. The Center
plans to become a person-centered and resident-directed holistic model of care,
an Eden Alternative Facility. Visiting Nurse Association of Care New England, |