RI Foundation gives grants to expand social services in downtown Providence

rhode island foundation with background

WPRO News and the Associated Press

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Three nonprofit social services groups will receive more than $350,000 to expand their work in downtown Providence.

The Rhode Island Foundation made the announcement on Monday. It comes after complaints from business leaders of increased panhandling and other problems downtown.

Foundation CEO Neil Steinberg told WPRO’s Gene Valicenti Monday morning that the money will go toward helping people find housing, jobs, and services such as treatment for mental health and substance abuse.

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Amos House will receive $150,000 to double the number of people put to work through its A Hand Up program to 20. The grant will also enable the program, which puts men and women who panhandle to work cleaning roadways and vacant lots throughout Providence, to expand from two days to three days a week.

Crossroads RI will receive $125,000 to add two full-time workers dedicated to doing outreach downtown. The street team will engage clients at the places and times where they congregate, assess their needs and facilitate referrals to appropriate services.

The Providence Center will receive $80,000 to embed a second, full-time clinician with the Providence Police Department in order to enable it to increase its focus on downtown. The clinicians will divert people from involvement with the criminal justice system to substance abuse and mental health treatment and community-based services.

The grants will fund services for six months. The foundation says a business group plans to raise additional money to extend the services beyond that.

RI Foundation gives grants to expand social services in downtown Providence

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