(Warwick, RI) – December 10, 2020 – ONE Neighborhood Builders was among 11 recipients of HarborOne Foundation Rhode Island grants focused on helping Rhode Island individuals and families - especially those impacted by the COVID crisis. This new round of giving brings the 2020 total of grants awarded by the Foundation in Rhode Island to $275,000.
The ONE Neighborhood Builders grant will be utilized to support efforts to deliver and maintain internet access to hundreds of residents in the Olneyville neighborhood of Providence where close to 40% have limited connectivity. With residents needing to work at home, and children schooling from home, lack of internet access was and economic and educational detriment that Neighborhood Builders has stepped in to fix.
“Internet Access isn’t a luxury, it is the key to letting all of our residents have access to work, and crucially, to an education, during this period when there is often simply no other way to remain employed or in school,” said Jennifer Hawkins, Executive Director of ONE Neighborhood Builders. “If it were not for this gift, we would not be able to make the connection for the installation to bring high-speed, free internet to Olneyville.”
The HarborOne Foundation Rhode Island supports and celebrates the work of community non-profits including those organizations that promote educational opportunity, create access to safe and affordable housing and provide basic human services to our most vulnerable citizens. Grantees for this round of funding include:
ONE Neighborhood Builders, $25,000: Received a grant to support the Neighborhood Builders Connects Community WIFI project and their efforts to provide reliable internet access to the historically disadvantaged neighborhood of Olneyville. This program will positively impact roughly two-thirds of all neighborhood residents and will provide critical connectivity services for both students and remote workers.
Smith Hill Community Development Corporation, $10,000: Received a grant to support community outreach efforts and increased organizational operational costs due to the pandemic. Funds will provide critical resources to more than 150 families in Smith Hill community during these unsettling times.
Friends Of Rhode Island Casa Inc., $5,000: Received a grant to help meet the urgent needs of area youth and families that have been exacerbated by the pandemic and bolster the organization’s operating capacity to be able to continue to meet growing demand for youth services.
College Visions $5,000: Received a grant to ensure low-income and first-generation students have access to core services in an online format and workshops in the areas of online study skills, stress management and money management.
Capital Good Fund, $5,000: Received a grant to provide 150 total hours of Financial & Health Coaching program, known as FC Plus, to 15 low-income families in the Greater Providence area. A 12-month program, FC Plus provides clients with the tools needed to meet their unique financial needs, build financial literacy, improve overall well-being, and create a foundation for economic mobility.
Pawtucket Central Falls Development, $5,000: Received a grant to support their Homeownership Program which delivers comprehensive bilingual homebuyer education classes. The program consistently graduates more than 150 individuals per year; providing financial literacy, one-on-one counseling and budgeting skills for low to moderate-income residents.
Genesis Center, $3,000: Received a grant to provide support the Keys to Success vehicle savings program whose aim is to motivates low/moderate-income individuals to save for the purchase of a reliable vehicle. The program forges the habit of saving money, helps participants obtain affordable transportation that expands their employment opportunities, and supports continued engagement with financial coaching.
Children's Friend and Service, $2,500: Received a grant to support the Emergency Crisis Fund helping low-income families when emergencies arise by providing food and other essentials, utilities, rent, or other emergency expenses. During the Covid crisis the Fund is a lifeline for our most vulnerable families.
Comprehensive Community Action Program (CCAP), $2,500: Received a grant to allow agency staff to attend training workshops on issues of racial equity. YWCA Providence will facilitate trainings.
Boys and Girls Club of Newport County, $2,500: Received a grant to support youth development programs and emergency services for Newport County youth and families who are at the greatest risk, especially during this pandemic.
Inspiring Minds, $2,500: Received a grant to meet the increased demand to recruit, screen, orient, place, and support the volunteers that work directly with students and families. The organization’s lineup of programs and services supports Providence public school students creating a sense of hope and normalcy in unprecedented times.