NEWPORT – BankNewport has awarded a $5,000 grant to the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s St. Joseph Conference to support emergency financial assistance for Newport County residents, as requests for aid continue to rise.
The Emergency Financial Assistance Program helps residents facing urgent expenses, including rent, utilities, heating fuel, medical and prescription costs and transportation. Payments are made directly to service providers after volunteers review applicants’ requests.
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The program helped 449 Newport County households representing 577 adults and 428 children during fiscal 2025, according to the organization. About 88% of the assistance went toward rent, security deposits and utilities.
Demand has increased in fiscal 2026. During the first quarter, the organization distributed $31,165 in emergency assistance, up 37% from the same period a year earlier. Requests increased 20%, while the average amount provided per request rose 12%.
Of the households assisted in fiscal 2025, 76% lived in Newport and 13% lived in Middletown. The organization said 77% of households served were living at or below the federal poverty level.
The grant was awarded through the BankNewport Charitable Foundation’s spring 2026 grant cycle, which distributed more than $470,000 to nearly 50 Rhode Island nonprofit organizations.
Matthew McNulty is a PBN staff writer. He can be reached at McNulty@PBN.com or on X at @MattMcNultyNYC.
