RENEWport will host a community dinner for families of Newport children in kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades on January 16, 2025, from 6:00-8:00 pm at Pell Elementary School.
Families are invited to connect with friends and local family-focused organizations while enjoying dinner, crafts, music, and more. Dinner is free and attendees are asked to RSVP – each RSVP will be entered into a raffle to win one of ten $100 Walmart gift cards, generously donated by a private donor.
This event is organized by RENEWport in partnership with Newport Public Schools, and a wide range of community organizations. Partner groups will host interactive activities for children – including Newport Festivals Foundation and Newport Classical with an ‘instrument petting zoo,’ Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England with friendship bracelet making and cookie tasting, Newport Historical Society with colonial games and crafts, Sail Newport with knot tying, and more.
Sue Sipprelle, Co-President of RENEWport said, “The goal of this dinner is for families to build community connection. At RENEWport we believe that when parents are involved in our schools, the entire community benefits. While there is so much that divides us in the world today – politics, socioeconomic levels, backgrounds – our schools are the perfect place for us to come together and put our differences aside to make Newport a city for all to thrive.”
RENEWport was founded by Sipprelle, who created the documentary, “Newport: In This Together” during the pandemic. Featuring interviews of more than 100 Newporters, the documentary explores how our neighbors mostly connected, rather than divided, during the pandemic. Through the filming process, Sipprelle saw the resource gaps in our community and was inspired to found RENEWport, which is committed to creating a caring pipeline into the public schools and connecting individuals of all ages with needed resources. The organization is bringing together nonprofit and business leaders, government officials, community organizations, and citizens to tackle local challenges.
Ellen Pinnock, Co-President of RENEWport said, “By fostering engagement in thoughtful projects and events, RENEWport strengthens community bonds and helps all Newport residents flourish.”
Pinnock also serves on Newport City Council, representing the First Ward.
RENEWport has been active in its mission for the past year. It launched with the planting and blooming of 38,000 daffodils in Miantonomi Park in partnership with Newport in Bloom, the Miantonomi Park Commission, and the City of Newport. In April 2025, RENEWport and Salve Regina University will host famed political scientist Harvard Professor Robert D. Putnam for a talk on the collapse and revival of the American community. In the weeks before the event, RENEWport will collaborate with a diverse group of Newport organizations to hold community gatherings.
For more information on RENEWport and the January 16 dinner, please contact Sue Sipprelle at susansipprelle@gmail.com or 201-406-7680. Families can RSVP at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScigSURRv16GmmR4jvCI2MT-S0jQ4ALV6Suyfav1UKAM6fXEw/viewform?pli=1
