PROVIDENCE – The charitable arm of Lifespan Corp. has received a $10 million gift from Papitto Opportunity Connection that will support the health care system’s plans to hire 1,000 Black, Indigenous, and people of color employees over the next four years, Lifespan announced Tuesday.
The gift is its largest donation the Lifespan Foundation has ever received.
Stay Ahead of Winter Respiratory Illnesses: Expert Advice from South County Health Express Care Providers
As winter progresses, so does the season of respiratory illnesses. Colds, the flu, RSV, and…
Learn More
“As the largest employer in Rhode Island, we want to lead the way in diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, and philanthropy of this magnitude has the power to significantly move the needle toward that goal,” said Lifespan President and CEO Dr. Timothy J. Babineau. “We are grateful for the opportunity POC has given us. Barbara Papitto’s humble desire to make a difference with her philanthropy is an admirable example for others.”
The funds will be used to accelerate Lifespan’s expansion of professional development programs, adding career pathways for BIPOC individuals, Lifespan said. This includes no-cost certification programs for positions such as nursing assistant, pharmacy technician, medical assistant, behavioral health specialist and doula.
Lifespan will also use the funds to develop a paid job-training program for formerly incarcerated BIPOC individuals, to create a successions program to prepare diverse employees for leadership roles and has plans to create a nursing leadership fellowship program and intends to offer academic scholarships for employees from underrepresented communities.
The opportunities created by the new programs will be open to both employees and nonemployees, the organization said. Recruitment efforts have already begun for training sessions scheduled to begin in December.
Interested individuals may apply online.
“Lifespan’s commitment to providing education and skills training that will directly create good-paying, career-oriented jobs for Rhode Island’s BIPOC community is truly transformational,” said Barbara Papitto, founder of the Papitto Opportunity Connection. “Developing opportunities for communities of color that are out of the box and potential game changers are exactly the kind of program POC is passionate about and wants to support.”