Help the helpers: Rhode Island needs its nonprofits, and R.I. nonprofits need support amid chaos and uncertainty
Advertisement
This action has thrown critical systems into
existing
and legally contracted programs for such things as housing assistance, food security, and health care. Some organizations were ordered to stop providing services immediately, and some will not recover from this disruption.
Get Rhode Map
A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State.
Enter Email
Sign Up
These executive actions have been put into place without clarity or justification. Organizations and states have been scrambling to understand what's happening, while continuing to serve the people they proudly support. The minute one thought they had it figured out, it changed again.
And while, yes, the memo has been
The actions and orders at play ensure the most vulnerable in our society are the ones who suffer. And the effects of these actions will be felt immediately — for all of us.
Today,
Advertisement
These actions affect Rhode Island families you have never met, yet they will also have a ripple effect that will no doubt impact your family and friends. Every dollar that doesn't reach nonprofit programs for the Rhode Islanders who need them translates into added stress for these individuals and their families. It also is a dollar that does not make its way into our state's economy, impacting local business.
Some perceive the nonprofit sector and the immense number of services it provides to be not worthy, while the truth is quite the opposite. Our nonprofits are filled with smart and passionate humans… the ones who step up in difficult times, and never back down. They aren't here for the politics, but for humanity.
Nonprofit leaders are some of the most creative and nimble businesspeople you will ever meet.
Because these broken systems require them to be.
I am reminded that United Way of Rhode Island, in its 99-year history, has taken on the tough things and supported our great state every step of the way. This time it is no different. We are unwavering in our vision of a Rhode Island where each individual in every community has equal opportunity for justice and prosperity.
Our Alliance for Nonprofit Impact, Rhode Island's nonprofit resource center, is providing up-to-the-minute support for the sector. We are assessing the impact of these changes and helping the organizations continue to serve.
Our 211 and POINT helplines are supporting Rhode Islanders as they seek to understand how these changes will affect them. We are connecting them to the resources that exist for them.
But we need you and your support. Now.
Advertisement
We need you to call your congresspeople, and the White House. Tell them to take action.
Give to an organization that speaks to you. Volunteer your time.
Fred Rogers, better known as Mr. Rogers, said: 'When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.''
This is the time to look for the helpers. This is the time to
BE
the helpers.
Cortney M. Nicolato is the president & CEO of United Way of Rhode Island.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
RI lawmakers reviewing cost estimates for Washington Bridge rebuild
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — State lawmakers are proceeding with caution after Gov. Dan McKee announced that it will cost $427 million and take until at least November 2028 to rebuild the westbound Washington Bridge Friday. McKee said the state has hired Walsh Construction Co. of Chicago to rebuild the heavily traveled bridge that abruptly closed to traffic in December 2023 after a structural failure. SEE ALSO: Washington Bridge rebuild will cost $427 million and take until 2028 In a statement to 12 News, R.I. House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi said lawmakers will be reviewing McKee's cost estimates and will 'evaluate the impact on the budget that the House Finance Committee is preparing.' 'Rhode Islanders who rely on the Washington Bridge have had their daily lives disrupted for nearly 18 months,' Shekarchi said. 'As the bridge project moves forward, [the House] will continue its work ensuring the [McKee] administration is accountable.' R.I. Senate President Valarie Lawson's reaction to McKee's cost estimates was similar. Lawson, who represents East Providence, said the Senate Finance Committee will also be taking a closer look at the cost estimates to rebuild the bridge, 'but all Rhode Islanders deserve safe and reliable transportation infrastructure.' 'Rebuilding the Washington Bridge as expeditiously as possible remains a top priority for me and my constituents,' Lawson said in a statement. 'No one has felt the impact of the bridge's closure more than the residents and small businesses I represent in East Providence.' State officials initially estimated in early 2024 the bridge would cost between $250 million and $300 million, though they cautioned at the time those figures were highly preliminary. A later, more concrete estimate put the price tag at $368 million, making the new $427 million estimate a 16% increase. The new timeline is also considerably longer than state officials' earlier goal of having the new westbound bridge open by August 2026. Asked by a reporter if he took accountability for the inaccurate early estimates, McKee replied, 'I think that we got it right.' He said they had tried to do the project faster but changed course when experts told them it wasn't possible. The rebuild contract is only one part of the overall cost of the Washington Bridge crisis. When demolition and emergency costs are added to the overall total, taxpayers are currently expected to pay $571 million for the infrastructure failure, according to a Target 12 analysis of state documents. More than 96,000 vehicles drove over the westbound I-195 bridge each day before the closure, according to the R.I. Department of Transportation. The state has since rerouted traffic on the eastbound Washington Bridge, a newer span, to go in both directions with additional lanes. TARGET 12: How RI will spend $571M on the Washington Bridge RIDOT Director Peter Alviti said the new bridge that is slated to open in 2028 has been designed to carry 80,000 vehicles every day for 100 years. (Alviti said he expected daily traffic to be lower than pre-closure levels because of the reopening of the Henderson Bridge, another connection between Providence and East Providence.) It will have five lanes instead of four, and I-195 West in East Providence will be widened by removing a lane on the approach to the bridge. There will be a new on-ramp from Gano Street and a new off-ramp to Waterfront Drive. The new bridge will also be shorter than the old one, requiring fewer piers, and will be made to look similar to its predecessor. Walsh is eligible for up to $10 million in incentive payments if the company can get the bridge done sooner than planned. On the flip-side, the company would face $25,000 a day in penalties if it fails to meet the timeline. Advance work will begin next month. Ted Nesi and Eli Sherman contributed to this report. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
Reed: Musk-Trump fight ‘won't hurt' efforts to stop ‘big beautiful bill'
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — As Senator Jack Reed continues a tour around Rhode Island to warn of the proposed effects of President Donald Trump's 'big beautiful bill,' a fight is unfolding between Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, just days after Musk left the White House. 'I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful,' Musk told CBS Sunday Morning's David Pogue last week. 'But I don't know if it can be both. My personal opinion.' Republicans in the House passed $1.5 trillion in spending cuts to offset trillions more in tax cuts, which President Trump said would provide financial relief for Americans. But with the bill moving to the Senate, Democrats need three Republicans to stop the legislation. 'Will it help? It certainly won't hurt to have Musk suddenly being [Trump's] chief critic,' Reed said. 'In the long run, it's still too soon to say that people will break with the president.' At a news conference at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank on Friday, Reed warned Rhode Islanders to prepare for cuts to food assistance programs like SNAP, should the 'big beautiful bill' pass. 'It's a lifeline to more than 144,000 Rhode Islanders,' he said. 'Particularly low-income families, particularly children and seniors.' Under the proposed bill, the Congressional Budget Office estimates, the federal government would spend $267 billion less on SNAP between 2026 and 2034. Reed said that cut could mean 17,000 Rhode Islanders losing SNAP benefits, adding that state leaders would have to decide how to cover $85 million in federal funds. Lisa Roth Blackman, the chief philanthropy officer for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, said nonprofits won't be able to fill that gap either. 'The charitable system is not equipped to fill in that size of a hole,' she said. Blackman said the food bank is also facing a state budget cut of roughly 30%. She is asking the General Assembly to instead pass a bill that would raise the food bank's allocation from the $800,000 it received last year up to $1 million. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Matunuck Oyster Bar could operate outdoors this summer under new legislation
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — State lawmakers are attempting to pass legislation that would allow the Matunuck Oyster Bar to open back up on a limited basis. The South Kingstown mainstay went up in flames last month and has been closed ever since. The cause of the fire has since been deemed accidental in nature. Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski introduced legislation Friday that would allow the restaurant to set up outdoor seating in the parking lot across the street, which is owned by Matunuck Oyster Bar's Perry Raso. Hagan McEntee's legislation is set to be reviewed by the House Committee on Small Business next Tuesday. Sosnowski's companion legislation will also be discussed Tuesday in the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government. SEE ALSO: Rhode Islanders distraught by fire at beloved oyster bar The goal of the legislation is to keep the restaurant up and running throughout the busy summer months. The legislation would allow the restaurant to establish a mobile kitchen and serve patrons at outdoor tables. 'The award-winning Matunuck Oyster Bar is a beloved part of the South Kingstown and Rhode Island community and everyone was devastated when the fire broke out a few weeks ago,' Hagan McEntee said. 'Its success elevates the town and both locals and tourists alike have made this restaurant a true destination in Rhode Island.' 'This legislation is the least we could do to help weather the difficulties resulting from the fire, including keeping some of the restaurant's workers employed during the busy summer season,' she continued. Specifically, it amends the 'Take It Outside' law that allowed food service establishments to operate outdoors during the pandemic. The proposed change would allow restaurants to provide temporary outdoor dining service 'any time a building or other structure used as a food service establishment is rendered uninhabitable by virtue of a casualty,' such as a fire or flood. MORE: Fundraisers launched for Matunuck Oyster Bar If passed, the restaurants would be allowed to do so for 18 months 'or until the building is fit for occupancy.' The current proposal notes that the legislation would sunset and expire on June 30, 2027. 'Our community was heartbroken by the fire at Matunuck Oyster Bar, and so many people have rallied behind Perry Raso and his employees during this difficult time,' Sosnowski said. 'The fact that this happened on the cusp of the busy summer season is particularly devastating for Perry, the restaurant's workers, and our entire community.' 'As this cherished establishment works to rebuild, it's important we do everything we can to support that process and the many people who rely on the restaurant for their livelihood,' she added. 'Utilizing the successful approach of the 'Take It Outside' law is a common-sense step that will help immediately.' The proposed legislation requires municipal approval before it can be considered by lawmakers. The South Kingstown Town Council is scheduled to consider a resolution of support for it on Monday. RELATED: Matunuck Oyster Bar fire appears accidental House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson have already expressed 'strong support' for the legislation. Shekarchi said Raso was the one who came up with this 'creative approach.' 'I pledged my strongest support to expedite this process with the House,' he said, adding that he will also work with the Senate and town to 'make this happen quickly.' Lawson stressed that she also plans on ensuring the passage of this legislation. 'While the news of the fire was truly devastating, the way Rhode Islanders have responded to support Perry and his employees has been extraordinary,' Lawson said. 'Along with our partners at the State House and in South Kingstown, we will continue working to support everyone impacted as the restaurant rebuilds.' Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
