Tiverton and Little Compton Nonprofits Awarded RI Foundation Grants

PROVIDENCE, RI—Five nonprofit organizations serving Tiverton and Little Compton residents will receive $35,500 in grants from the Rhode Island Foundation. The funds will underwrite a host of services ranging from school programs to preventing relationship violence.

“From enriching arts and educational opportunities for young people to underwriting critical health programs, we are proud to work with partners that are improving lives here,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “We are grateful to the donors who make this assistance possible and the local men and women who keep us closely connected to the community.”

The American Red Cross received $5,000 to support the direct and indirect expenses of delivering disaster services in Little Compton and Tiverton, among other Newport County communities.

Day One received $10,000 to support the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) and clinical services for child and adult victims of sexual violence in Newport County. Last year, the CAC reported a 28 percent increase over 2014 in the number of adults and children served.

“This grant will help Day One provide critical treatment for sexual abuse victims, and expand prevention education to help bring an end to sexual violence in Newport County,” said Peg Langhammer, executive director.

Island Moving Company received $8,000 to begin offering its "Math Into Movement" residency program in Little Compton and Tiverton elementary schools.

The residency uses movement as a tool to teach the important concepts of addition and telling time. Dancers from Island Moving teach the movement lesson plan to the teachers during their common planning time and then work with the students in their classroom. Teachers learn the movement tools and are given the lesson plans so that they can continue to use the movement techniques after the dancers are gone.

"We are excited about bringing our successful Math Into Movement program into these schools," said Dominique Alfandre, executive director. “The program has proven itself effective and fulfills our goals of using dance to understand mathematical concepts, empowering teachers to use movement in their classrooms and reaching kinetic learners who learn best when they are physically engaged.”

The Katie Brown Educational Program (KBEP) received $5,000 to continue offering its Relationship Violence Prevention curriculum at Tiverton Middle School.

“Our work is changing young people’s perceptions and behaviors regarding teen dating violence, cyber-violence and bullying. We believe education is the channel for this important work. A study by researchers at Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center confirmed that teens who receive the KBEP have a lower tolerance for aggression and violence, as well as healthier attitudes about relationships,” said Claire McVicker, executive director.

“Students acquire the life skills to handle emotional challenges, and the skills needed to recognize the presence or potential presence of violence in relationships, to create safe, respectful and healthy relationships, and to choose alternatives to violent behaviors,” she said.

The Tiverton Public Library received $2,500 to support the creation of three large ceramic murals in the Tiverton Public Library. As part of the $60,000 project, artists Mika Seeger and Peter Geisser plan to hold a series of community meetings to enable residents to contribute their personal histories, ideas and insights. Then residents will have the opportunity to work with the artists to design, make and install murals. At least 300 people of all ages are expected to be involved in the design, creation and installation of the murals.

"They will contribute to deciding how to depict the town's Native American, Portuguese and English roots; its evolving farming, fishing, marine, small shop and arts economies; and the timeless natural beauty of its beaches, woods, meadows and marshes. This endeavor will build community across generations and socio-economic groups through direct participation in the arts, and create a lasting reflection of the community," said Ann Grealish-Rust, director.

Visiting Nurse Services of Newport and Bristol Counties received $5,000 for staff and leadership development and training, particularly working with local patients with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease and their caregivers.

“Clinical education, such as recognition and treatment of elderly depression, anxiety and management of patients who demonstrate cognitive disease, is essential. The increasing incidence of cognitive impairment in our patient population requires staff training and competence in this critical aspect of home health care,” said Candace Sharkey, CEO.

The grants are through the Foundations’ Newport County Fund (NCF). Established in 2002, the NCF has awarded more than $3.5 million in grants for programs and services for residents of Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth and Tiverton. The NCF is one of one of several committee-advised funds at the Foundation established to fulfill the desire of donors and serving specific issues or geographic areas.

In making the funding decisions, the Foundation worked with an advisory committee comprised of Newport County residents including John Ellis, William Harvey, Kristen Humphrey, Victoria Johnson, John Murphy and John Trifero.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. In 2015, the Foundation awarded a record $41.5 million in grants to organizations addressing the state’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping Rhode Island reach its true potential. For more information, visit www.rifoundation.org.