United Way of Rhode Island

🫶 Thank you, Senator Jack Reed and Mayor Kenneth J. Hopkins, for visiting our Summer Learning Initiative program at Ocean State Kidz Club RI! Because of your support, we are engaging over 650 students in five communities — Central Falls, Cranston, Newport, Westerly, and Woonsocket.

☀ The Initiative provides free, high-quality learning experiences proven to reduce the summer learning slide. Programs expose students to the jobs of tomorrow and empower them to serve their communities. Since 2012, the Summer Learning Initiative has shaped more than 11,000 young lives.

🔗 Help us take more students off the waiting list and into opportunity by donating at bit.ly/GiveNowf

📢 Are you registered to vote? 📢

Only nine days left until the primary registration deadline on Sunday, Aug. 11. Visit unitedwevoteri.org to register!

is a campaign powered by United Way of Rhode Island dedicated to increasing voter turnout and engagement for the 2024 elections. Our goal is to ensure every voice is heard and every vote counts.

United We Vote for our rights, our community, and our future. 🗳

🫶 Thank you, Mayor Xaykham Khamsyvoravong and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, for joining us at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center yesterday. Because of your support, we are able to offer our Summer Learning Initiative in five communities — including Newport!

☀️ The Summer Learning Initiative is a free, six-week program that provides enriching opportunities for students to engage in activities that foster social, emotional, physical, academic, and citizenship growth. Programs like this are crucial for working families, providing peace of mind and essential support.

📊 Our data shows that 86% of parents agree these programs are invaluable. Yet the demand far exceeds the supply, with three children waiting for every spot available.

🔗 Help us ensure that all children access high-quality learning experiences by donating at bit.ly/GiveNowf

🎉 We are excited to announce that our own Kyle Bennett has been promoted to chief of staff and public affairs officer!

Kyle joined Team United in 2006, and has long been at the forefront of our legislative and policy work. Most recently, he served as senior director of public policy and equity.

In his new role, Kyle will continue to leverage his extensive experience to oversee our robust legislative and policy agendas. He will also lead strategic initiatives across government, public policy, and corporate strategy.

🔗 Read more in GoLocalProv: bit.ly/bncspaof

GoLocalProv | Business | People on the Move: Bennett Named Chief of Staff & Public Affairs Officer at United Way GoLocal's People on the Move is an update on new hires and promotions across southern New England. If your organization has an announcement, email it to us at [email protected].

📢 Today, our president and CEO, Cortney Nicolato, is joining other United Way CEOs at The White House to amplify key economic and social policy issues such as:

🏘 Housing insecurity.

💡Clean energy.

👩‍🏭 Workforce programs.

We are so proud of her for representing our state and sharing local insights with the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris administration.

Over the next two days, the Rhode Island community comes together to celebrate, remember, and reflect on the life of Cedric Huntley.

Though his passing brings a deep sense of loss, the chorus of love and memories being shared reflects a life well lived. From his work with students and families at the Met High School to his leadership at the Nonviolence Institute, Mr. Ced epitomized servant leadership.

United Way of Rhode Island will miss his wisdom and friendship, yet we are inspired to follow his example. His legacy echoes in the words of one of Dr. King's favorite songs: “If I can help somebody, as I pass along, Then my living shall not be in vain.”

📢 Welcome to !

We are thrilled to introduce David Smith and his guide dog, Zeek, joining us from Westbay Community Action through a vocational program. David's journey from mastering the Braille system to becoming proficient in mobility skills with his white cane and guide dogs is truly inspiring. His passion for technology, music, and his involvement with the Lions Club showcase his incredible determination and independence.

Welcome, David and Zeek! We're excited to have you with us.

Looking for a place to grow and engage across diverse communities? Consider applying and/or sharing one of these open roles with United Way of Rhode Island.

Director of Marketing & Communications, Fulltime, $82,500-$90,000
Linked here: https://lnkd.in/eKcGsSRf

Social & Digital Media Manager, Fulltime, $60-$70,000
Linked here: https://lnkd.in/erUTS44Z

Relationship Manager, Business Development & Labor Liaison, fulltime, $70-$82,000
https://lnkd.in/eqmFD_7a

Relationship Manager, Corporate Engagement, fulltime, $57-72,000
https://lnkd.in/edEj7q7W

🇺🇸 Team United celebrates the : a day that symbolizes independence for all.

✊ Our nation was founded on the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to building a where these are not only aspirations but realities.

🙌 We cannot wait to see y'all this evening! If you have not registered yet, go to uwriweb.org/June27

Parking will be available at the following locations:

📍 Pet Food Experts, 175 Main St 2nd Floor, Pawtucket, RI 02860.

The lower and upper lots will be available. The lower lot is part of the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center.

📍 Old Slater Mill, 67 Roosevelt Ave, Pawtucket, RI 02860.

🥳 Tomorrow: Join us from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center in Pawtucket for our final pop-up experience!

Hear stories highlighting ways to step into the role of an accomplice from three featured speakers:

✊ Juniper Darrow, program officer for donor relations, United Way of Rhode Island.

✊ Diana Garlington, administrative assistant for policy & equity and research & data analytics, United Way.

✊ Kara Hallett Theriault, people and wellbeing business partner, United Way.

Our moderator is Ellijah McLean, United Way's manager of government relations and policy.

🔗 Register at uwriweb.org/June27

💙 Thank you to our sponsors: Lifespan - A Health System, Easy Entertaining Inc., City of Pawtucket, RI - Pawtucket City Hall - Mayor's Office, The Hire, SouthCoast Wind, and Cap Ex Advisory Group.

🥳 Tomorrow: Join us from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center in Pawtucket for our final pop-up experience!

Hear stories highlighting ways to step into the role of an accomplice from three featured speakers:

✊ Juniper Darrow, program officer for donor relations, United Way of Rhode Island.

✊ Diana Garlington, administrative assistant for policy & equity and research & data analytics, United Way.

✊ Kara Hallett Theriault, people and wellbeing business partner, United Way.

Our moderator is Ellijah McLean, United Way's manager of government relations and policy.

🔗 Register at uwriweb.org/June27

💙 Thank you to our sponsors: Lifespan - A Health System, Easy Entertaining Inc., City of Pawtucket, RI - Pawtucket City Hall - Mayor's Office, The Hire, SouthCoast Wind, and Cap Ex Advisory Group.

🎊 We are excited to announce the lineup for our second pop-up experience! Join us on Monday, June 24 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Rising Sun Mills - 188 Valley St atrium to hear from three trailblazers:

🔥 Chachi Carvalho, chief equity officer, City of Pawtucket, RI - Pawtucket City Hall - Mayor's Office.

🔥 Megan Begin, human resources talent manager, Amica Insurance.

🔥 Jenny Bautista-Ravreby, diversity, equity, and inclusion manager, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

Our moderator is Ralph Tavares Jr., vice president of equity and inclusive excellence for Storbeck Search/Diversified Search Group. This conversation will offer practical tools to help your organization move from Justice, Equity, and Diversity toward Inclusion (JEDI).

🔗 Register at uwriweb.org/June24

❤ Thank you to our sponsors: Lifespan - A Health System, Easy Entertaining Inc., City of Pawtucket, RI - Pawtucket City Hall - Mayor's Office , The Hire, SouthCoast Wind, and Cap Ex Advisory Group.

‼ There is still time to register for ! Our own Kevin-Rene Matta, senior director of people and culture, sat down with Studio 10 WJAR's Ben DeCastro to share how folx can join this free, seven-day sprint.

✊ From June 19-27, participants will spend 30 minutes a day learning about topics such as justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

✅ Individuals who complete the Challenge will receive a certificate. Businesses with an 85% employee completion rate will receive a decal.

🔗 Learn more at bit.ly/uwriechjf

United Way of Rhode Island's Equity Challenge to honor Juneteenth Studio10’s Ben DeCastro is learning more about the United Way of Rhode Island’s Equity Challenge. The event is meant to help people and businesses become more k

🎊 Congratulations to our own Millicent Budlong-Springer on being selected for Providence Business News' 2024 Awards! Millie, we are incredibly proud of your achievements and honored to have you as a member of Team United! ❤

🔗 View the full list of honorees at bit.ly/40ufapf

🎉 We are excited to announce the lineup for our first pop-up experience! Join us on Wednesday, June 19 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at United Way of Rhode Island to hear from a powerhouse panel:

🗣 Helena Moronta, first vice president and diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, BayCoast Bank.

🗣 Vanessa Vigil, belonging and equity coordinator, Lifespan - A Health System.

🗣 Tina Guenette, president and founder, RAMP real access motivates progress.

Our moderator is Kevin-Rene Matta, senior director of people and culture at United Way. Together, we will explore the topic of justice across multiple business sectors. We'll also learn how to lean into this shared work with intentionality.

🔗 Register at uwriweb.org/June19

🫶 Thank you to our sponsors: Lifespan, Easy Entertaining Inc., City of Pawtucket, RI - Pawtucket City Hall - Mayor's Office, The Hire, SouthCoast Wind, and Cap Ex Advisory Group.

💬 Today, Team United joined Tribe Academy and the URI College of Business for their inaugural Conference.

Cortney Nicolato, our president and CEO, joined a panel on inclusive leadership in the public sector with Christian Cowan, Markeisha J. Miner, Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, and Sean Edmund Rogers. She shared, "It is up to us to be intentional and to be relentless in our fight to bust through white supremacy norms."

Kevin-Rene Matta, our senior director of people and culture, echoed that call-to-action in a dynamic breakout session with Allori Fernandes, Paola Fonseca-Fernandez, Kirtley Fisher, and Adesuwa Igbineweka. "Designing inclusive systems for me... has always looked like really looking at how the systems were never built to be inclusive to begin with."

👏 Thank you to the host committee for bringing together professionals and leaders from across corporate, startup, higher education, and other nonprofit sectors to drive innovation and shape the workforce of the future. We were proud to sponsor this impactful event!

✊ Join United Way of Rhode Island for ! This seven-day, curated experience is aimed at supporting individuals across various stages in their Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) journey. Whether you are participating as an individual or an organization, Equity Challenge 2024 offers a variety of daily activities tailored to your preferred learning style.

📆 Challenge dates: Wednesday, June 19 to Thursday, June 27, 2024.

🔥 Topics: Justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, advocacy, and becoming an accomplice.

For Individuals

Immerse yourself in the Challenge!

💪 Flexible learning options: Participate from your desk, at home, or with friends.

✨ Pop-up experiences: Attend live sessions at various locations.

🏆 Recognition: Complete at least one activity each day to receive your "Equity Challenge Champion" certificate.

For Organizations

By registering, your entire team can engage!

📧 Daily emails: Receive diverse content to read, watch, or listen.

✨ Pop-up experiences: Attend live sessions at various locations.

🏆 Recognition: Achieve an 85% completion rate and be honored as an “Equity Challenge Champion” with special recognition across media platforms.

Let’s embark on this transformative journey together! Empower yourself and your team as we move from ally to equity accomplice.

🔗 Register at bit.ly/ceuwrif

Stay tuned for updates on pop-up experience times and locations. Make sure you download the social media graphics to share your journey and inspire others. (Do not forget to mention us!)

Need help or want to learn more?

📧 Email Kevin Matta: [email protected].

Want to bring this into your organization and unsure how?

📧 Email Lauren Nance: [email protected].

Looking for information about the pop-up experiences?

📧 Contact Marisa Luse: [email protected].

📚 Join us in collecting new and gently used books for children ages 0 to 5th grade. Thank you, The Washington Trust Company, for partnering with us on our 2024 Children’s Book Drive! 🫶

Learn more below. ⬇️ Books Are Wings

Did you know? United Way of Rhode Island Children's Book Drive is back in for the 12th year! Now through the end of May, you can drop off your book donations at any Washington Trust branch.

United Way is once again partnering with Books Are Wings to help Rhode Island children build their own libraries at home.

For more information:▶️ https://ow.ly/Y9xN50RmmFA
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What we value is you.™

📢 Join us tomorrow for a critical press conference on payday lending reform! The Economic Progress Institute and the Coalition for Payday Reform will address the urgent issue of payday lenders targeting our low-income communities with unjust triple-digit interest rates. 🚫

📆 Date: Thursday, May 2.

⏰ Time: 3 p.m.

📍 Location: Room 135, Rhode Island State House.

🎉 Team United is excited to share that we are a 5x RI Winner through the annual Providence Business News survey!

✊ United Way of Rhode Island is proud to demonstrate our commitment to equity by centering the voices of our employees and community members.

🌟 Congratulations to all the other winners! View the full list of honorees at bit.ly/bpwri24f

🌎 Happy , Rhode Island! Last week, team members from Teknor Apex Careers joined our own Kristen Anderson and Lori DiMatteo for an Earth Day Cleanup with Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful. Thank you, Teknor Apex, for partnering with us to create a cleaner, greener community. 💚

🙋‍♂️ Want to improve employee engagement and build a stronger R.I.? We can help! Through our Shared Purpose program, we work with companies to develop and achieve their corporate social responsibility goals. 🤝

🔗 Learn more at bit.ly/csruwrif

📚 Join us in collecting books for children ages 0 to 5th grade. Thank you, Cardi's Furniture & Mattresses, for partnering with us on our 2024 Children’s Book Drive! 🫶 Books Are Wings

From now until May 24th, drop off new and gently used books at any Cardi's Furniture & Mattresses location for the 2023 Children's Book Drive with United Way of Rhode Island and Books Are Wings organizations. These books will be distributed to children across Rhode Island to help prevent summer learning loss and promote home libraries! For more information, contact [email protected]!

📢 Our final information session for the Providence Equity Fund at United Way of Rhode Island will be tomorrow, April 19, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Rhode Island Black Business Association, 220 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908.

The session will be hybrid. Please indicate if you will attend in person or virtually. The meeting link will be shared once you register.

🔗 Register for the information session at bit.ly/pvdefisf

🔗 Learn more about the Fund at bit.ly/aguwrif

🤝 We are proud to partner with the RI Department of State to build a stronger nonprofit community in .

R.I. nonprofits — Check out available resources from the RI Business Services Division below. ⬇️

🎉 Exciting news! We have kicked off our 12th Annual Children's Book Drive with Books Are Wings! From now until May 31, we are collecting new and gently used books for children ages 0 to fifth grade. 📚

📺 Earlier this month, our own Lori DiMatteo joined our friends Ron and Pete Cardi on The Rhode Show to share how you can help children build their own libraries at home. Join us by dropping off books at any Cardi's Furniture & Mattresses location, or at one of our other statewide collection sites. Thank you, Cardi's, for being a legendary partner! 🤝

🔗 Learn more at bit.ly/rhuwrif