South Kingstown Woman Wins $50K Prize For Community Leadership

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — A South Kingstown woman won the 2022 Murray Family Prize for Community Enrichment, a spokesperson for the Rhode Island Foundation said Thursday.

The award went to Kate Brewster, the executive director of the Jonnycake Center for Hope in South Kingstown. With the honor, Brewster received $50,000 in recognition of her long commitment to helping Rhode Islanders in need.

"Kate’s remarkable commitment to serving disadvantaged communities is an inspiring standard for others to follow. We take great pride in honoring her for her dedication and achievements," said Paula McNamara, daughter of Terrence and Suzanne Murray, who along with her family established the Murray Family Prize for Community Enrichment at the Foundation.

Brewster has worked at the Jonnycake Center since 2015. Under her leadership, the organization has expanded its services, renovated a 120-year-old school house and community landmark into its new headquarters, is preparing to update four multi-unit properties to provide service-enriched housing to local families, and recently announced the impending launch of a youth center.

"What started as a food pantry and thrift store close to 50 years ago has grown into a robust neighborhood organization," Brewster said in a statement. "Today, our services are centered around the social determinants of health including housing, education, economic security, health and wellness, and community."

In 2021, the organization helped low-income Rhode Islanders obtain $290,000 in income tax refunds, provided $87,000 in emergency financial assistance for food, utilities and housing; had 6,200 visits to its food pantry and helped 30 households find permanent housing.

"The needs of our community are constantly changing," Brewster said. "Most recently the fallout from the pandemic, including a severe housing shortage and impact on children’s learning and mental health, caused us to further expand our services to include the creation of new, affordable housing for local families and a youth center to give young people an opportunity to learn new skills, access academic support and have a safe space to go if they are simply having a bad day."