A collaborative of five Rhode Island nonprofits has been awarded a $750,000 grant to launch the state’s first coalition focused on supporting girls and gender-expansive youth. The Rhode Island Foundation awarded the three-year Catalyst Grant to Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, which will lead the effort in partnership with Women’s Fund of Rhode Island, […]
Nonprofit
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MLK Community Center to hold Keeper of the Dream celebration on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center will hold its Keeper of the Dream & Annual Meeting celebration on Monday, Jan. 19, from 5 to 7 p.m. The event, presented by Corrigan Financial, Inc. and Savant Wealth Management, will take place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. During the event, the center will report […]
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Rose Island Lighthouse trust launches executive director search ahead of milestone 2026 season
Rose Island Lighthouse & Fort Hamilton Trust announced Monday the launch of a regional search for a new executive director as the organization prepares for a landmark 2026 season marking both its 40th anniversary and the United States Semiquincentennial. The full-time position offers an annual salary of $70,000 to $75,000 and is suited to mid-career […]
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Polar plunge returns to Newport on New Year’s Day
A Wish Come True will host its 22nd annual Freezin’ for a Reason Polar Plunge Challenge on Jan. 1, 2026, at Easton’s Beach. Participants will plunge into the Atlantic Ocean at noon to raise funds for children ages 3-18 battling life-threatening illnesses in Rhode Island, southeastern and central Massachusetts, and eastern Connecticut. “The Polar Plunge […]
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IYRS names Ostrand first recipient of Glo Tech Scholarship Fund
IYRS School of Technology & Trades has named Marie Ostrand of Newport as the inaugural recipient of the Glo Tech Scholarship Fund. Established in February 2024, the scholarship honors the legacy of Gloria Aurora Borrego, a trailblazer in the marine industry whose career spanned high-performance marine systems, motorsports and major expeditionary projects including the Whitbread […]
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Potter League invites Rhode Islanders to foster a shelter dog for the holidays
Looking to add a little warmth and wagging tails to your holiday season? The Potter League for Animals is bringing back its popular Host a Howliday Houseguest program, offering Rhode Islanders the chance to foster a shelter dog from Dec. 22 through Dec. 27. The short-term foster initiative matches shelter dogs with local families for […]
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Bike Newport’s holiday bike giveaway puts 85 kids on two wheels
The Big Blue Bike Barn was filled with excitement on December 6th as Bike Newport hosted its annual Holiday Bike Giveaway, matching 85 restored bicycles with Aquidneck Island children eager for their next — or first — set of wheels. Over the course of four hours, dozens of local families streamed through the nonprofit’s headquarters, […]
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Newport Partnership for Families names new executive director
Newport Partnership for Families has hired Lindsay Cutler as its new executive director, the organization announced Tuesday. Cutler will lead the 25-member partnership of nonprofits, faith-based organizations, businesses and municipal groups focused on improving the lives of residents in Newport and surrounding areas. She joins the organization at a time when its nonprofit members and […]
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Discover Newport announces six new board members as Gray takes helm
Discover Newport announced six new members to its board of directors on Monday. The new appointees are Joanna Arrighie, director of sales and marketing at Newport Marriott Hotel & Spa; Rebecca Bertrand, executive director of the Newport Historical Society; Kajsa Kempenaar, vice president of Kempenaar Real Estate Inc.; Kevin O’Leary, director of marketing at the […]
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Lucy’s Hearth wreath sale raises $20,000 to support families experiencing homelessness
More than 250 handcrafted wreaths found new homes Saturday morning as Lucy’s Hearth held its annual Designer Wreath Sale at the Easton’s Beach Rotunda, raising $20,000 to support families experiencing homelessness. The event drew an early crowd, packing the Rotunda as community members browsed wreaths created by local artists, gardeners and volunteers. The funds will […]
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Fueling a Female Movement: This dynamic nonprofit advocates for women, girls, and families
The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island was founded 25 years ago by the late Simone P. Joyaux, a globally respected fundraising mentor and social justice advocate. In 2000, the Rhode Island Foundation partnered with Joyaux to launch the organization with a clear mission: close the opportunity and equity gaps facing women and girls. Today, WFRI […]
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Lucy’s Hearth to host wreath sale, benefit concert Saturday in Newport
Lucy’s Hearth will host a pair of fundraising events on Saturday to support families experiencing homelessness, beginning with its annual Designer Wreath Sale and followed by a benefit concert featuring local musicians. The wreath sale runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the Rotunda at Easton’s Beach, 175 Memorial Blvd. The event features handcrafted holiday […]
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Jamestown Arts Center hosts Holiday Arts Market Dec. 5-6
The Jamestown Arts Center will hold its ninth annual Holiday Arts Market next month, featuring work from more than 20 local artists and artisans. The market runs Friday, Dec. 5, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Visitors can browse ceramics, prints, paintings, jewelry, […]
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Emmanuel Church unveils pollinator garden to support community food programs
Emmanuel Church has completed a new pollinator garden designed to bolster the church’s year-round efforts to provide fresh food to neighbors in need while supporting local ecosystems. The garden, located beside the church’s newly constructed accessible Community Bridge entrance, features plantings that support bees, butterflies and birds — pollinators essential to agriculture and global food […]
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O’Brien’s Pub to host fundraiser for Hurricane Melissa victims in Jamaica
O’Brien’s Pub will host a fundraiser to support victims of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica on Wednesday, Dec. 10, from 4 to 7 p.m. The event aims to raise money for families and communities impacted by the hurricane, including relatives of O’Brien’s staff members. “The core of our staff at O’Brien’s is from Jamaica, and many […]
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People’s Credit Union volunteers help prepare 300 Thanksgiving meals with Newport Salvation Army
Volunteers from People’s Credit Union partnered with the Newport Salvation Army to prepare more than 300 Thanksgiving meal kits for distribution to local families. “At People’s, we are giving thanks this year for our friends at the Newport Salvation Army and all they do to support our neighbors in need,” said Heather Sweeney, head of […]
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The Importance of It All: Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island
There is a refreshing vibe of positivity and connection when you visit Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island headquarters in Providence. All around you is a spirit of pride and purpose for what is both a logistically complex and emotionally demanding mission. I was taken aback, not because it seemed unbelievable, but because the energy […]
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Newport Art Museum to offer free admission on Giving Tuesday
The Newport Art Museum will flip the script on Giving Tuesday this year, offering free admission and special programming on Dec. 2 instead of soliciting donations. The museum, typically closed on Tuesdays, will open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with art-making activities for children and a 1 p.m. performance by Aquidneck Singers, a multigenerational […]
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Champlin Foundation awards $1.5 million to Newport County nonprofits
The Champlin Foundation announced Thursday it will distribute $11.2 million to 98 Rhode Island nonprofits in its second grant cycle of 2025, including more than $1.5 million to 12 organizations in Newport County. Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County received the largest local grant at $750,000 for expansion, renovation and restoration of its central […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Heritage Restaurant Group launches holiday gift card campaign benefiting MLK hunger relief
Heritage Restaurant Group is running a holiday gift card promotion through Dec. 31, 2025, that pairs customer purchases with donations to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center hunger relief programs. The promotion offers two tiers: customers who purchase $500 in gift cards receive $125 in bonus cards, while the restaurant group donates $25 to […]
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Nonprofit secures $750,000 to launch food waste recycling in Newport County elementary schools
Every elementary school in Newport County could soon have student-led cafeteria food waste recycling programs thanks to $750,000 in grants awarded to a Rhode Island nonprofit. The Rhode Island School Recycling Project will use the funding to expand its Get Food Smart program, which is already operating at Pell Elementary School in Newport, to elementary […]
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West Place Animal Sanctuary wins prestigious Defender Service Award
West Place Animal Sanctuary has won the top prize in the 2025 Defender Service Awards, culminating a five-year effort by the Rhode Island farm animal rescue organization. The Tiverton-based nonprofit was named winner in the Honorees category on November 15 at an awards ceremony in Temecula, California, following a 17-day public voting campaign in October. […]
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West Place Animal Sanctuary announces Holiday Shop & Stroll and Winter Bonfire events
West Place Animal Sanctuary will host its final public visitors weekend of the year and debut a new winter event series in the coming weeks. The Tiverton-based farm animal sanctuary will welcome visitors for its Holiday Shop & Stroll on Friday, Nov. 28, and Saturday, Nov. 29. The event has become a tradition on the […]
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Pop-up food pantry opens at Leonard Brown House in Portsmouth
A new 24/7 pop-up food pantry opened Sunday at the Leonard Brown House, providing immediate access to food and essentials for island residents facing food insecurity. The Four Hearts Foundation, in collaboration with Newport Living Group, launched the pantry at 121 Linden Lane to support community members experiencing financial hardship. Kateri Buerman, founder of the […]
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YANA of Newport County to host free expungement clinic Dec. 4
YANA of Newport County will partner with the Rhode Island Public Defender’s Office to offer a free expungement clinic for individuals seeking to clear their criminal records. The clinic will be held on Thursday, December 4, from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. at YANA’s clubhouse, located at 770 Aquidneck Avenue. Expert legal advisors will meet one-on-one […]