Tri-Town Volunteers Recognized

Shown in photo: Tri-Town Financial Stability volunteers recognized on April 7 by Mayor Charles Lombardi were, back row, l-r: Ellen Smith, Francine Pedchenko, Marissa Blackwell, and Kristine Ramirez; front row, l-r: Qianqian Lin, Chan Sean, and Eliana Parada. Credit: Tri-Town Community Action Agency

North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi joined nearly 20 attendees in recognizing Tri-Town volunteers at the Maple Avenue Community Center as part of the mayor’s annual Volunteer Recognition Day on April 7.

“Your help, and your volunteering to provide the services that you do to the families of North Providence, means a great deal,” Lombardi explained to the volunteers, who all received mayoral proclamations acknowledging their service. “You help make us who we are, and we appreciate that.”

According to a fact sheet provided by Tri-Town, volunteers prepared 153 federal and 138 state tax returns, resulting in more than $263,000 in refunds and a savings of more than $40,000 in private tax preparation fees for clients.

“Your volunteerism here at Tri-Town has played a key role in improving financial literacy for our families and feeding the hungry, and you’ve been an enormous help in our heating assistance program,” said Tri-Town CEO Joseph DeSantis, who added that the volunteers’ work “has inspired me” to push ahead on relocating some of the agency’s programs to Emanuel Street.

That move will allow Tri-Town to expand the hours of the Health Center at Maple Avenue, and provide a larger space for food and emergency services, DeSantis noted.

Volunteers at Tri-Town also helped distribute more than 53,000 lbs. of food to North Providence residents, nearly one-third of the total amount provided by the agency, which also serves families in Johnston, Smithfield, North Smithfield, Glocester, and Burrillville.

This year’s recognized volunteers are:

Financial Stability: Marissa Blackwell, Qianqian Lin, Eliana Parada, Francine Pedchenko, Kristine Ramirez, Chanreastana Sean, Ellen Smith.

Veterans Success: James LaRose, Kerry McGuiness.

Food Distribution: Steven Celani, Ronald Morrissette, Carl Smith, Dave Surrette, Lori Zorabedian.

Tri-Town Community Action is always looking for able-bodied volunteers to support its programs. Contact the agency at (401) 519-1900 for more information.