Paiva Weed Tribute Raises $220,000 for Family Service of RI

Family Service of Rhode Island recently honored Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed at its annual Brighter Futures Award luncheon, and raised nearly $30,000 more than it did last year, the highest level in the event’s ten year history.

The Brighter Futures Award is presented annually to an individual or organization making an outstanding contribution to the well-being of children. Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed was saluted for her tireless advocacy for children. She is the first Aquidneck Island resident to receive the recognition. Past recipients include Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist; Geoffrey Canada, president and CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone; U. S. Senator Jack Reed; and the Boston Red Sox, the Red Sox Foundation and the Pawtucket Red Sox.

The October 30th event at the Rhode Island Convention Center raised nearly $220,000, which is almost $30,000 higher than the previous year.

The actual award is a print of a pastel drawing entitled “Three Dancing Children” by the internationally known artist Anne Mimi Sammis, of Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Included in the event was a video of President Paiva Weed chatting with and answering questions from the student council at Thompson Middle School, in Newport, Rhode Island.

A video about Family Service of Rhode Island’s nationally recognized school attendance initiative “The Walking School Bus” was also shown.

The luncheon, a critical fundraiser for nonprofit Family Service of Rhode Island, has become a signature event for the business community.

The presenting, Diamond, sponsor was Capitol Securities. Platinum sponsors include: Malcolm G. Chace, Jr.; the DeRamel Foundation; GTECH; and Hasbro, Inc. Gold sponsors include NBC 10; Deepwater Wind; Dimeo; Hinckley Allen. Silver sponsors include Bank of America; Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island; CharterCare Health Partners; Cooley/Group; Cornerstone Group; Christopher and Heather Crosby; CVS Health; Delta Dental of Rhode Island; Foundry Associates; H. Carr & Sons, Inc.; KLR (Kahn, Litwin, Renza); Sara Shea McConnell; National Grid; Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island; New England Laborers’ Tri-Funds; Joseph R. Paolino, Jr.; and Residential Properties.

Family Service of Rhode Island is a statewide human service and education agency. More information is available at www.familyserviceri.org.

Photo: Left to Right (back row): Event chair Malcolm G. Chace, Jr.; NBC 10’s Patrice Wood, event emcee; honorary chair Joseph Jianos from Capitol Securities, the event’s presenting sponsor; event chair Colin Kane of the Peregrine Group, a sponsor; president of Family Service of Rhode Island’s board of directors, Malcolm Farmer, of sponsor Hinckley Allen; Margaret Holland McDuff, CEO of Family Service of Rhode Island. Left to Right (front row): Secretary Steven Costantino, Rhode Island Office of Health and Human Services, who was a speaker at the event; Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed, Brighter Futures Award recipient; and Robert Vincent, of event sponsor GTECH and vice president of the Family Service of Rhode Island board of directors.

Photo Credit: HyoJin Lee