Circle of Stars raises $200K
for Providence Center services

PROVIDENCE – The Providence Center held its annual Circle of Stars fundraiser at the R.I. Convention Center Oct. 18, with 250 supporters and $200,000 raised.

The funds will support the center’s programs providing critical care to more than 20,000 children, adults and families struggling with mental illness and addiction each year, according to a release from the center.

Don Barbeau, longtime advocate who has supported the organization in numerous capacities since 2010, including the spearheading of clothing drives that contributed thousands of pieces of clothing to TPC families in need, was this year’s honoree.

The event celebrated TPC’s services for veterans, including Joyce House, a 12-unit apartment house in Providence providing homeless veterans with supported housing and wrap-around services such as mental health and substance use treatment and recovery. The speaking program featured remarks from Barbeau, who is a veteran.

- Advertisement -

“We serve hundreds of veterans; each of them is unique, and so is their care,” said Deborah M. O’Brien, president and chief operating officer of The Providence Center. “It’s part of our organizational DNA to believe that no one is ‘typical,’ and that every person we care for has his or her own path to recovery, an individualized plan centered around personal goals and personal strengths.”

Major sponsors for the event included Dispill-USA Inc., Malcolm G. Chace Jr., Joshua and Cindy Teverow, Dominion Diagnostics LLC, the Martyn Family Foundation, Jim and Shelley Botvin, and Deborah and Rich O’Brien.

Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.