Collette Hosts New Pawtucket/Central Falls COVID-19 Outreach

GCRI member Collette has announced that it will serve as a partner and section leader of the CFP BEAT COVID-19 initiative. Colette will be contributing to the leadership of the CFP BEAT COVID-19 incident command team, providing the entire enterprise with logistical support, including information management services and phone banking.

“We are proud to support the efforts of both the City of Pawtucket and Central Falls,” said Mike Vendetti, Director of Property Safety and Security at Collette. “We know that this is such an important task to benefit the community as a whole.”

The CFP BEAT COVID-19 initiative has committed itself to reach out to every single household in the two cities, so that every resident in the cities knows what to do and who to call the moment they get sick due to the exponentially growing numbers of positive cases.

“We are deeply grateful for the resources and workforce that Collette and the Sullivan family have committed to this effort. There is no better corporate citizen anywhere,” said Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien. “We estimate that nearly 50,000 people in Pawtucket and Central Falls do not have a primary health care doctor. Collette’s invaluable assistance will help us reach out to every single household in our two cities”

“Roughly 45% of the Covid-19 positive tests are Latino, and Central Falls and Pawtucket cases continue to increase exponentially,” said Central Falls Mayor James A. Diossa. “Bringing an organization like Collette has come to our rescue, in a way that we hope will allow us to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in our communities.”

“People are positive at a very high rate in Pawtucket and Central Falls,” said Michael Fine, M.D, Medical Director of CFP BEAT COVID-19 initiative. “At Blackstone Valley Community Health Care, Central Falls and Pawtucket residents are testing at 36% and 33% Covid-19 positive respectively. This is nearly three times the state average rate. Our communities are a likely hotspot.  We are very grateful to Colette Travel so we can together make sure that people are getting tested and isolating accordingly when sick.”

As part of the CFP BEAT COVID-19 initiative, the Mayors and Care New England have announced a Coronavirus testing site that has more than triple the capacity of existing test sites in the Blackstone Valley as a first step. The team is now working on the next step to combat Covid-19, aiming to create a telephone consultation service for people in our cities who do not have primary care physicians.

Tufts Health Plan Foundation Announces Second Wave of Funding to Address Coronavirus Impact

Tufts Health Plan Foundation announced funding to 18 additional nonprofit organizations as part of the $1 million it has committed to support community efforts on behalf of older people affected by the coronavirus. This second wave of funding, totaling $345,000, focuses on housing and equity efforts in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut.

The organizations include housing providers, those working with people experiencing homelessness and immigrant communities, and several serving as hubs for collaborative regional responses.

In Rhode Island, grantees in the current wave of funding were House of Hope Community Development Corporation and Saint Elizabeth Community.

The Foundation also is accelerating payments to current grantees, easing the financial pressure they are facing. These payments will give community organizations an additional $1.5 million to support emerging priorities.

“As the coronavirus spreads throughout our region, it is clear communities of color and organizations serving older people are disproportionately affected,” said Nora Moreno Cargie, president of Tufts Health Plan Foundation and vice president for corporate citizenship at Tufts Health Plan. “Organizations working with those most at risk are a priority for the Foundation. More resources are essential to help all our communities face this public health crisis.”

The Foundation continues to offer a two-for-one match to Tufts Health Plan employees and board members who donate to organizations during the pandemic. To date, an additional $55,000 has been contributed to community organizations through this program.

CVS Health Charity Classic Unveils $1 Million Donation

2019 Charity Classic Support Brings Total Amount Donated to More Than $23 Million

CVS Health President and CEO, Larry Merlo and PGA TOUR Champions and CVS Health Charity Classic Co-hosts Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade announced that the 2019 CVS Health Charity Classic generated $1 million for Southern New England charities. This brings the total amount donated over the last 21 years to more than $23 million.

“Over the past 21 years, the Charity Classic has had the pleasure of connecting with organizations that are making a significant impact in the communities that we live and work in,” said Eileen Howard Boone, Tournament Chairperson of the CVS Health Charity Classic. “We are so honored to celebrate another charitable milestone with CVS Health colleagues, charity partners, Charity Classic sponsors and event volunteers.”

The 2019 CVS Health Charity Classic featured some of the world’s top professional golfers including Brooke Henderson, Colin Montgomerie and Keegan Bradley. The Event Series also attracted sold out crowds to Dunkin’ Donuts Center for Crave RI. The two-day food festival displayed Rhode Island’s diverse culinary scene with more than 250 local restaurants & beverage profiles in downtown Providence.

Looking ahead, CVS Health announced the date for the 2020 CVS Health Charity Classic. The Event Series will take place Thursday, June 18 through Monday, June 22.

The mission of the CVS Health Charity Classic is to give back to the community and provide assistance to charitable organizations that focus on helping the community year-round. Donations provided by the 2019 CVS Health Charity Classic provide vital funding to a range of programs serving children and families. In all, 86 non-profit organizations across Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts will benefit this year from the CVS Health Charity Classic, including:

• Sojourner House whose mission is to promote healthy relationships by providing culturally sensitive support, advocacy, and education for victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence; and to effect systems change.
• Tides Family Services that addresses the needs of at-risk children through services such as counseling and educational and court advocacy.
• The Joe Andruzzi Foundation that is committed to providing help, hope, and a reason to smile, for New England cancer patients and their families by contributing financial support when it is needed most.

Textron Volunteers (and Golf Carts) Connect Veterans to Services at Operation Stand Down RI

Textron employees volunteered at Operation Stand Down RI, an event that provides access to social and supportive services for military veterans. With the donation of seven E-Z-GO golf cars and the many volunteers that gave of their time, the Textron team was able to provide shuttles around the site to allow veterans take advantage of all the services offered at the event.

Volunteers drove veterans to and from the different tents to get haircuts, massages, career advice, clothing, legal counsel and complimentary meals.

Erik Wallin, Executive Director of Operation Stand Down RI said, “On behalf of the over 450 veterans served at this year’s annual Stand Down Weekend, Operation Stand Down RI wishes to thank Textron for donating the use of golf cars to transport veterans and service providers. We also express our gratitude to the dozens of Textron employees who volunteered their time over three days and showed such compassion towards our veterans who came for life changing services. The dedicated team of Textron volunteers honored our local veterans by their own service as they have done for the past several years.”

“It was a privilege, and such a small token of my appreciation to do something for our veterans who have sacrificed so much for this country,” says Al Casazza, Director of Global Services and Real Estate. “I’m looking forward to doing it again next year.”

Tufts Health Plan Employees Designate $25,000 to Local Nonprofits

Community organizations aiding veterans, single mothers with low incomes, LGBTQ+ Rhode Islanders experiencing homelessness, immigrants and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities will each receive a $5,000 grant as a result of a program engaging Tufts Health Plan employees in grantmaking.

“This grant program is an opportunity for our business resource groups to recommend nonprofit organizations addressing important community issues,” said Tufts Health Plan president and CEO Tom Croswell, who also serves on the Tufts Health Plan Foundation board of directors. “Giving back isn’t just something we do; it’s part of our culture. I’m incredibly proud of the dedicated employees who demonstrate their commitment to the community through this program and each and every day.”

Each of Tufts Health Plan’s five business resource groups (BRGs) nominated an organization aligned with their affinity to receive a grant from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation.  Two Rhode Island organizations were beneficiaries of the grants, Crossroads Rhode Island and Operation Stand Down Rhode Island.

·        Prism, the LGBTQ and allies BRG, recommended Crossroads Rhode Island, an organization that provides services and supports to LGBTQ residents of Rhode Island. The grant will support Crossroads’ programming that assists LGBTQ individuals with shelter, food and other services. (Providence, R.I.)

·        Veterans & Military, the veterans and allies BRG, recommended Operation Stand Down Rhode Island, an organization that connects military veterans with services, supports and job opportunities. The grant will support the annual Stand Down Weekend outreach event, where hundreds of veterans are connected to services and supports from agencies across Rhode Island. (Johnston, R.I.)

More information

HarborOne Employees Help Supply Schoolchildren

For the third year, employees at GCRI member HarborOne Bank packed and distributed backpacks to local community organizations for children who might need school supplies.

HarborOne Bank and HarborOne Mortgage provided more than 5,000 at-risk children with backpacks and educational supplies. On Aug. 7, more than 100 employees of HarborOne Bank and HarborOne Mortgage packed more than 3,000 backpacks at the Brockton Boys & Girls Club. Additionally, the local offices of HarborOne Mortgage provided another 2,000 to nonprofits across New England.

 

Collette Celebrates Founders Day with Volunteerism

GCRI member Collette celebrated its Founders Day with a wide variety of volunteer initiatives across Rhode Island. Over 220 employees spent over 450 hours volunteering in projects such as sorting and packing new shoes for foster children with Gotta Have Sole, making literacy kits with United Way, sorting books at Books Are Wings, and serving dinner at the Pawtucket Soup Kitchen. Employees also participated in a shoreline cleanup with Save the Bay, packed 30,000 meals with the Outreach Project to be distributed to Pawtucket schoolchildren and their families, created superhero boxes with Together We Rise for local foster children, and assembled welcome home kits at Crossroads with donations collected by Collette employees.

For a better sense of all the activities, check out the video!

Blue Cross Makes $10,000 Grant to RI Community Food Bank

Providence Business News — The Rhode Island Community Food Bank received multiple donations from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island as the nonprofit launched its 2019 Summer Food Drive on June 25.

The food bank said it received $10,000 from Blue Cross, which it will use to purchase and distribute food this summer. Additionally, Blue Cross collected more than 6,200 food items – weighing more than 3,600 pounds – during the company’s Summer Snackdown initiative.

Read the full article in Providence Business News

Hasbro Employees Support Rhode Island Philharmonic Student Scholarships

The Providence Business News profiled a unique partnership between GCRI member Hasbro employees and music students at the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School.  Members of Hasbro’s Music Matters Employee Network teamed with the Philharmonic’s students for a benefit concert and raised $2,000 for scholarships for the program.

See full article

 

 

Hurricane Florence Relief

The effects of Hurricane Florence are still ongoing and our thoughts continue to be with those in the Forum family affected by this storm. Forum member, North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, is compiling information and resources related to the philanthropic response in the state. NCNG will continue to update the resource page as new information becomes available.

http://www.ncgrantmakers.org/Resources/Resources-for-Grantmakers-(1)

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) also has resources on its website, and will be doing a webinar this afternoon, September 18:

  1. The Center for Disaster Philanthropy has launched its 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season Fund. More information can be found here or if you wish to donate you can do so here.
  2. Tanya Gulliver-Garcia, Assistant Director of major initiatives gives an overview of disaster funding following disasters and offers advice for how philanthropists can effectively respond to all disasters, including hurricanes.
  3. CDP — with generous support from the UPS Foundation, and in close collaboration with the Southeast Council on Foundations, the Council on Foundations, and The Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities — will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday, September 18 at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT to discuss Hurricane Florence’s impact and provide insight on how funders can support the recovery effort.

Lastly, CDP is keeping a profile of Hurricane Florence up to date on its website. Please check here daily for more information on the hurricane, as well as intel on critical needs and resources for how philanthropy can support the recovery effort.

United Way has a relief fund established as well.

If you have family, friends or coworkers who would like to do tangible supply assembly, VOAD makes use of United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Cleaning Kits, Hygiene Kits and School Kits.  Volunteers can gather, assemble and donate completed kits to UMCOR for this current Hurricane Florence effort and other future disaster relief efforts.

So please encourage anyone who is interested to follow the specific instructions for the assembly of these kits:  https://www.umcor.org/UMCOR/Relief-Supplies.  There are lists of required supplies, an instructional video, shipping label and packing list.

Rivers Keep Rising and More Deaths Are Feared as Florence Pushes Away

People are still being rescued, even as the remnants of Hurricane Florence move out of the Carolinas. At least 31 people have been killed. Record-breaking rain has pushed rivers over their banks, and water levels are unlikely to recede fully for days.

Read more in New York Times.

In Flood-Hit Public Housing, a Reminder That the Poor Bear Brunt of Storms’ Fury

This week, after a brief evacuation, Keisha Monk returned to Trent Court to find that flooding from Florence had turned her place into a sodden wreck. She also realized that she was now a player in the kind of redevelopment drama that tends to swamp storm-battered places like this — a story of race, class, gentrification and safety fears, and questions without easy answers about who gets to live on often alluring, sometimes treacherous, waterside real estate.

Read more in New York Times.

Florence Recovery Page on United Way Online

America’s Charities lists additional organizations working on relief efforts in the Carolinas:

  • Feed the Children delivering over 400,000 pounds of food and disaster supplies to community partners in vulnerable areas.
  • The Salvation Army National Capital Area has officers and staff on site in the Carolinas to assist families with food and spiritual care. Monetary donations allow for us to purchase and serve food and water to those in need.
  • Best Friends Animal Society is working with partner organization throughout the affected areas to identify shelters/rescue groups in need of help. We’ve already started supporting many with transporting animals out of the area, and will continue post-hurricane to ensure that as many animals as possible are moved to safety.

Feeding America is working with its network of local foodbanks to deploy and provide support, food and supplies to people in communities impacted by Hurricane Florence. For every dollar donated, the Feeding America network of food banks can secure and distribute at least 10 meals to those recovering from the storm.