Community Work

The Rhode Island State Council of Churches is very active in community leadership. Over the past several years, we have led efforts to improve the lives of those most in need.  We have played a major role in organizing faith community homeless shelters, advocating for an affordable energy plan, and serving those affected by the Station Nightclub fire.  We are active members of many community coalitions including the Civil Rights Roundtable, the United Way Housing and Homelessness Impact Group, HousingWorks, the Statewide Housing Action Coalition, Leave No Child Behind, and One Rhode Island.

Under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Donald Anderson, our Community Network meets to develop a “platform” with regard to legislation before the Rhode Island General Assembly and leads our advocacy efforts on its behalf.  The Community Net work also monitors our response to national and international issues. 

New Roots Providence

a program of the Providence Plan, is an exciting project that The Rhode Island State Council of Churches supports.

The purpose of the program is to help faith-based and community organizations to increase their ability to serve their communities by strengthening their management, developing new sources of funds and creating healthy relationships. The project will focus on small and emerging organizations working with youth, prisoner re-entry, children of prisoners, and families transitioning from welfare to work. Organizations with budgets under $300,000 will have higher priority.

 There are three major parts to the program: 1) a twelve month training series open to all faith based and community organizations (help discover the mission/purpose, personnel recruitment, management); 2) grants for technical assistance to twenty-four organizations to build and improve their organization (i.e. expert advisors); and 3) Learning meetings for discussion of various issues to help build over-all capacity and expand ability to serve the community. "Third Sector New England" will provide the primary training and technical assistance. The Council will connect faith-based communities in Providence to the project.  The "Providence Plan" has received money from the US Department of Health and others, and will provide the funds for this project.

For information on "New Roots Providence" training sessions call Chiv Heng at The Providence Plan 401-455-8880 x218, or the Council office 401-461-5558.