PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Foundation has awarded an emergency grant of $450,000 to three statewide community organizations in response to “these unusually stressful economic times,” Neil D. Steinberg, president and CEO of the foundation, said Tuesday.
“Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of Rhode Islanders with funds at the foundation, we are uniquely positioned to make these emergency dollars available for food, shelter, heating assistance and other basic necessities,” Steinberg said. He announced the award at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s headquarters in Providence.
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The foundation awarded a similar emergency grant of $500,000 last December, as well.
Steinberg noted that the one-time awards were a departure from the foundation’s usual focus on long-term solutions, saying “those who have the means must dig deep and give more. We are not issuing a formal challenge, but we do hope that this grant inspires people to increase their charitable contributions at a time of tremendous need in our state.”
The food bank will receive $100,000; the Salvation Army Good Neighbor Energy Fund will receive $100,000; and eight state community action programs will share $250,000. The community action agencies are Blackstone Valley in Pawtucket, Comprehensive, East Bay, Family Resources in Woonsocket, Providence, Tri-Town, South County and West Bay.
According to the foundation, the award will give financial assistance to more than 1,300 needy families to pay utility bills and help nearly 1,000 with emergency housing and prescription assistance. More than 250,000 pounds of food will be made available for the “increasing number of Rhode Island families who must rely on emergency food pantries and soup kitchens,” the foundation said in a prepared statement.
A recent report on hunger in Rhode Island by the food bank found that nearly 12 percent of the state’s residents – 50,000 households – struggle to put food on the table, according to Andrew Schiff, the organization’s CEO. He said emergency food programs in the state served 13 million meals in the year ended Aug. 31, a 30 percent increase compare with the prior year.
“This grant could not have come at a better time as we work to stretch our resources,” said Paula McFarland, executive director of the R.I. Community Action Association. The Salvation Army Good Neighbor Energy Fund reported that it helped 2,347 families and 6,370 individuals pay utility expenses last year.
Additional information is available at rifoundation.org.
