Middletown Residents will Benefit from RI Foundation Grants

Middletown residents will benefit from more than $200,000 in grants, the Rhode Island Foundation has announced.

The grants, through the Foundation’s Newport County Fund (NCF), will underwrite a host of activities ranging from job readiness training and after-school activities to robotics and relationship violence prevention.

“From enriching arts and educational opportunities for young people to underwriting critical health and environmental programs, we are proud to work with partners that are improving lives here,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “We are grateful to the donors who make this assistance possible and the local advisors who keep us closely connected to the community.”

The NCF offered grants of up $10,000 in seven key funding areas: arts and culture, basic human needs, children and families, economic security, the environment, healthy lives and housing.

The Center for Ecosystem Restoration (CER) received $5,000 to support its work with the town of Middletown restoring beach dunes, improving water quality, restoring habitats and improving recreational access in the Sachuest Bay area of Aquidneck Island.

“This is one of Newport County’s most beautiful and valuable coastal areas, and is highly vulnerable to severe storms and other impacts,” said Thomas Ardito, CER’s director. “The project will directly benefit all residents of Middletown and Newport, and will indirectly benefit all residents of Newport County.”

CER developed the project in partnership with the town of Middletown, Norman Bird Sanctuary and Aquidneck Land Trust. The grant will support CER’s work in environmental review, reporting, compliance and outreach.

The Best Buddies Newport County Friendship Project received $3,000 to provide educational, recreational, leadership and social opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Middletown High School.

“Our proven model in school-based programs increases the essential skills of everyday living as the individuals intellectual and developmental disabilities are able to learn how to relate to peers in social settings,” said Matthew Netto, state director.

Best Buddies Rhode Island staff will recruit, train and guide student leaders in running successful chapters on their campuses. At the beginning of the school year, student leaders will recruit high school and college peer buddies, to be matched in a mentoring friendship with a peer or an adult from the community with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Star Kids Scholarship Program of Middletown received $2,500 to support after-school and summer academic tutoring for students who have the ability to be successful in school, but are struggling academically and may not have the support system at home to help with homework and projects.

“Star Kids are placed in academically competitive settings, where the level of expectations and student achievement is high. Our objective is to provide the additional supports the child may need to be successful within that competitive program,” said Kristen Van Hull, executive director.

The tutors are certified teachers who assist with reading and comprehension skills, math facts and application, and developing sound writing techniques.

Those grants are just 3 of 33 totaling $202,433 that the Foundation awarded. Middletown residents are served by many of the other organizations that received grants.

Day One received $10,000 to expand its work serving young and adult victims of sexual violence. In 2013, the organization has served 715 individuals from Middletown and nearby communities.

The East Bay Community Action Program received $9,040 to provide tuition assistance to 15 students in its certified nursing assistant training program.

The Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England received $5,000 for its Urban Outreach program, which introduces at-risk girls in grades K-8 from lower-income, Newport County neighborhoods to scouting and the benefits of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Junior Achievement of RI was awarded $4,000 to support economic education and hands-on learning experiences for students in Middletown public schools. The program will be offered in classrooms and after-school settings by volunteers from the business community.

The Norman Bird Sanctuary of Middletown received $5,000 to develop an environmental education series including school-based workshops and exploratory learning opportunities.

The Rhode Island Mentoring Partnership received $5,000 to support mentoring activities for children in Middletown public schools.

Visiting Nurse Services of Newport and Bristol Counties received $5,000 to train staff on how to work with patients with Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers.

In making the funding decisions, the Foundation worked with an advisory committee comprised of Newport County residents including John Ellis, William Harvey, Kristen Humphrey, Victoria Johnson, John Murphy and John Trifero.

Since 2002, the NCF has invested more than $2.8 million in funding programs and services for residents of Middletown and other nearby communities. The NCF is one of one of several committee-advised funds at the Foundation established to fulfill the desire of donors and serving specific issues or geographic areas.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. In 2014, the Foundation awarded $34.8 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit www.rifoundation.org.