(L-R) Hal Horvat, President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, Centreville Bank; Kate Wishart, Major Gifts Officer, Kent Hospital; Paola Fernandez, SVP, Community Development Officer, Centreville Bank.

The Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation has awarded $386,132 in funding to 18 organizations in Rhode Island and Connecticut as part of its Q1 2024 funding cycle.

Harold Horvat, Centreville Bank President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board, said, “As a community bank, we believe that supporting organizations isn’t just about giving; it’s about investing in the collective well-being and resilience of our communities. Every contribution has the power to spark positive change and we remain committed to helping to strengthen the lives of people in Rhode Island and Connecticut.”

Other grants awarded in the first quarter include funds for the following organizations:

  • Back to School Celebration – Will support purchase and distribution of backpacks and school supplies for school-age children.
  • Center for Mediation and Collaboration Rhode Island – Funding will be used to support skills-based programming for students in the RI Training School.
  • Foster Grandparents of RI – Sponsored by WW Senior Center – Transportation costs for seniors providing volunteer service in their communities.
  • Jonnycake Center for Hope – Funds will support a new youth center offering a functional and comfortable space for enrichment opportunities, academic support, and skills training.
  • Mae Organization, Inc. – Will be used to provide housing assistance and other basic needs.
  • ONE Neighborhood Builders – Funding will be used to support advance pre-development activities for affordable housing development projects.
  • Pawtucket Central Falls Dev. Corporation – Funding supports the delivery of the organization’s first-time home buyer education programming and services.
  • Providence Public Library – Funding supports the Teen Squads Program, providing students with skills development and project-based learning so that teens are equipped to forge a career pathway by entering higher education or the workforce.
  • Reach Out and Read – Funding supports programming for children across 70 healthcare sites statewide.
  • San Miguel School – Continued funding of the student sponsorship program.
  • Tides Family Services – Funding for the Hardship Fund which provides families with short-term support needed to continue to meet their basic needs, such as housing, food, and clothing.
  • United Way of Rhode Island – Funding will be used for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.
  • Women in the Trades – Funding to support purchase of tools for students in apprenticeship program.

In Connecticut, the following organizations also received grants:

  • Center for Housing Equity & Opportunity – Continued support for the Center’s mission to align a diverse coalition of practitioners, residents, and community organizations to identify solutions that preserve, protect, and produce safe and affordable housing.
  • Junior Achievement of Connecticut – Funding will support financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship programming for students attending schools in New London and Windham Counties.
  • The Last Green Valley, Inc. – Funding will be used to help expand summer camp opportunities for middle school youth.

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...

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