PICA wishes Resident Advocate, Anne Joyce Whitman, the very best of everything in her new job at RI Hospital. Anne worked with the most marginalized residents of Dexter Manor and the Crossroads Towers for 15 years, providing supportive services, crisis intervention and preventing homelessness. Her uniques skill of working with individuals holistically will bring a new dimension of care to the Hospital. Blessings to Anne on her new journey! We will iss her terribly, but it is an excellent opportunity for her.
Homeless Outreach:
Ron Watts, himself formerly homeless, offers hope to his clients because they see how he has turned his own life around. He is a role model, case worker, advocate and non-judgemental support. He listens for ten minutes or four hours because he knows what it’s like to be faceless and keep running into barriers. He provides basic needs items such as toiletries, clothing, phone use and transportation as well as intensive care management. This program is house at the First Universalist Church.
How to Help:
1. Collect toiletries. Each bag contains toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, razors and soap
2. Run a drive for new socks and underwear
3. $15 dollars buys a birth certificate, $45 buys a bus pass
4. Hats, gloves and scarves are always needed in the winter
5. Backpacks, empty is great but filled with toiletries are even better
Daily Food Pantry:
Open to anyone in Providence on some form of assistance, ours is the only pantry lest in the downtown. Food is available to clients once a month, and in October, 683 people received groceries. Through a grant from the Food bank we were able to hire a trilingual college student to translate for our many guests the do not speak English. Joe Desmarais and Troll Chace move tons of food a week offer a welcoming environment for our guests. It’s also an opportunity to do outreach for other needs and referrals are made to our staff or our other agencies.
How to Help:
1. Run a food drive at your school, office or church. We distribute roughly 150bags of groceries a e. Canned goods such as tuna fish, beans and other protein sources are always in short supply
2. $200 per week pays for a weekly delivery of groceries from the food bank
3. Buy cereal or pasta when it goes on sale and help us stock up
Weekly Community Meal:
Liz McGrath and her volunteer crew provide food every Friday night. The Governor ended the meal program at the states largest shelter and our numbers have risen dramatically. This past Friday we served 317 people a sit down dinner…a new record for us! The Meal site is a true community. IN addition to food, staff checks on our guests to make sure they are doing well. Clothing is available every week and the Public Defenders Office has done three expungement workshops. A URI student is available to screen people for food stamps. Both of the food programs are based at the Mathewson Street United Methodist Church.
How to Help:
1. Volunteer your time! We especially need help during college vacation weeks and during the summer. The hours are 4-6:30 pm.
2. Bake a dessert for 250 people, all the same, no nuts!
3. Donate new Dolls, trucks or games for our Christmas party
4. $400 will feed our guests for a week
5. Be Creative!!!
