Grants bringing playground upgrade, community garden to NK

A new playground is coming to the Belleville Pond recreational area. It is one of three local projects to win more than $25,000 in funding from the Rhode Island Foundation’s Community Grants Program.

“We’re excited about these ideas for making community happen in more and better ways at the local level. Supporting community-building will improve shared places and quality of life, promote collaboration and increase community engagement,” said Jessica David, the Foundation’s executive vice president of strategy and community investments. “We’re grateful to have donors who invest in our work and partners like these that understand the needs of their community.”

Priority was given to proposals that included community support such as matching grants, the participation of volunteers and donated space or other forms of in-kind contributions. Most of the work is expected to be underway before the end of the year.

The town of North Kingstown received $10,000 to renovate the Ryan Park playground in Lafayette near Bellville Pond. The work is expected to include the addition of slides, swings, a play tunnel, landscaping and a play surface.

“The park is used daily for recreational leagues, trail walks and other outdoor activities. Renovating the playground will be a great asset to the park, attract more visitors and encourage healthy use of imagination and of play for all generations of our community,” said Chelsey Dumas of the Recreation Department, which will oversee the improvements.

“The current location has just a couple of play structures and a play surface that needs updating and is constantly being overrun by invasive underbrush like bamboo. The renovation will give little ones their own place at the park,” she said.

The Rhode Island Computer Museum (RICM) in North Kingstown received $6,702 to partner with the North Kingstown Library and the Rhode Island Office of Library Services to build a “VR Library Learning Lab.” The organizations will utilize zSpace, a leading-edge education technology that enables the delivery of virtual reality-based instruction.

“zSpace technology blends the real world with the virtual, creating the world’s best VR experience. The software includes a library of educational models ranging from human anatomy to chemistry or biology of animals. The 3D models can be also used for practice of skills and creating quizzes to assess the knowledge of students, or they can be printed out on a 3D printer,” said Daniel Berman, RICM’s curator

“By utilizing digital and traditional media, our partnership will promote creativity, critical thinking and hands‐on connected computer learning opportunities. With this partnership, students will be empowered to ‘learn by doing’ in a virtual environment where it is easy to undo mistakes, make changes and not worry about material costs or clean up,” he said.

“For example, they can explore the water cycle or dissect plants and leaf structures without having to worry about cost or safety, all during a library workshop session. To prepare for 21st century careers, it is important that youth have access to interesting, exciting and motivating STEM activities.”

Crossroads Rhode Island received $9,500 to support a series of community-building activities at Kingstown Crossings apartments in North Kingstown, including a community garden, outdoor movies and family fun day.

In addition to providing housing to homeless and at-risk families, Crossroads also offers supportive programs and services designed to help previously homeless individuals and families overcome the circumstances that caused them to become homeless in the first place, including case management, financial and computer literacy, and education and employment.

“Many of our previously homeless clients have been isolated from society for a very long time,” said Karen Santilli, president of Crossroads Rhode Island. “In order to help them overcome that trauma and stay housed, it’s important that they feel a sense of connection to their neighbors and to the broader community. This grant will help fund a series of fun activities and events designed to bring people together and create a true sense of community in both Kingstown Crossings and the town of North Kingstown.”

The funding from the Community Grants Program is supplemented by a gift from long-time Foundation donor Anne Sage.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Working with generous and visionary donors, the Foundation raised $38 million and awarded $43 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities in 2017. 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 rifoundation.org.