Photo courtesy of Newport Mental Health

Governor Dan McKee today announced $5 million in funding to provide emergency shelter capacity to Rhode Island’s homeless service providers.

McKee’s office says in a press release that this funding will fund 275 emergency shelter beds as we approach the winter months.

“Our homeless shelter providers have been frontline heroes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor Dan McKee in a statement. “These much needed funds will allow them to provide critical services to Rhode Islanders who are experiencing homelessness. While this money provides important and needed assistance – there is much more work to do, including passing my Administration’s RI Rebounds proposal currently before the General Assembly and finalizing a long-term housing plan that meets our state’s housing needs.”

The McKee Administration says that it is combining several funding sources to meet this immediate need including planned reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Association, Community Development Block Grant CARES (CDBG-CV) funds, funds allocated by the State’s Housing Resources Commission, and Emergency Solutions Grant CARES (ESG-CV) funds. The Office of Housing and Community Development is working to support providers to make the beds available within the coming weeks.

The following agencies will be operating Winter Shelter funded through these funds:

  • Community Care Alliance
  • Crossroads RI
  • Domestic Violence Resource Center
  • Emmanuel House
  • Harvest Community Church
  • Newport County Mental Health
  • WARM

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...