Letters to the Editor 08.28

Dear readers:

As Black Philanthropy Month nears an end, here’s some ongoing good news for nonprofits in your life. Organizations that serve the state’s Black community have until Sept. 13 to apply for $114,000 in grants through the Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund at the Rhode Island Foundation.

Our Fund gives priority to equity, education, social justice and economic empowerment of the Black community in three core areas, with a long-term goal of systemic change that improves the lives of Rhode Island’s Black community.

Grants will support community-based organizations – particularly those that have significant Black representation among their staff and board of directors –  that uplift low-income Black Rhode Islanders through programs that create pathways to financial stability and achievement, provide youth development and mentoring opportunities to urban Black youth and support and promote the history, culture and achievements of Blacks in Rhode Island.

Earlier this year, two dozen organizations received grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000, including FirstWorks, Juneteenth RI, Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education (RISE) and the Southside Community Land Trust. Learn more about all the grant recipients at rifoundation.org.

In addition to the grant program, the fund also offers scholarship assistance for Black students who are pursuing or advancing a career in health care at an accredited institution and are Rhode Island residents who demonstrate financial need. Scholarship requests can be submitted after Jan. 1, 2025.

The Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund was established in 2007 to address the needs of the Black community. Over the years, more than $1.2 million in grants and scholarships have been awarded. Grants are offered to support nonprofits that provide youth development and mentoring, promote the history and achievements of Blacks in Rhode Island, preserve the culture of the Black community and strive to uplift low-income Black Rhode Islanders.

Of course, the Fund is just one way the Foundation supports nonprofits that serve Rhode Island’s communities of color. Recent grants also include nearly $1.2 million to increase the number of teachers of color in Providence and several other urban school districts, $1.4 million to support a racially, culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse health care workforce and nearly $2.2 million to help dismantle the fundamental causes of systemic racism in Rhode Island.

For more information about applying for a Black Philanthropy Bannister Fund grant, visit rifoundation.org.

David Cicilline

Rhode Island Foundation

 

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Dear Editor,

I very much enjoyed your recent article on the recuperation of Polo Pond. As an avid gardener I am fascinated by local efforts at mitigating the effects of pollution in the city. I hope the Eye will give us an update when the ‘Floating Wetland’ is evaluated.

 

Yours in appreciation,

Diana Ensor

 

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To the Editor,

I lived on the East Side of Providence for many years and found your article on historic districts really informative.  I know that it’s hard to figure out how the city can preserve its architectural heritage and accommodate more housing at the same time.  Historic district seem to pay an important role, and I do hope that the city’s identity can be maintained as Providence grows and changes.

Stephen Snyder