Giving Good

Families First RI is a grassroots non-profit organization that pairs moms of infants with highly trained Volunteer Mentor Moms. Some moms may be coping with the typical challenges associated with caring for an infant, and possibly older children. Some of these challenges may include balancing the expectations of work and family, financial stress, health issues, or single parenting. Other moms may be experiencing, or are at risk for, postpartum depression (PPD), or an anxiety disorder. Some moms who are pregnant may also feel depressed, anxious or isolated. The mission of Families First is to provide in-home psychiatric evaluations, treatment referrals, social support, and parenting education to women who are experiencing, or who are at risk for, depression. Pregnant women and those in the postpartum year are referred to us by hospitals, visiting nurses and psychiatrists. Families First addresses the challenges of postpartum adjustment and the risks of maternal depression by providing peer mentoring through weekly home visits with our trained and supervised volunteers, as well as social and educational gatherings.

For nearly 100 years, Easterseals has been the indispensable resource for people and families living with disabilities. Throughout all life’s moments, Easterseals is here to help people and families realize and reach for their full potential. Across the nation, they remove physical, cultural, attitudinal and legal obstacles so people with disabilities have every opportunity to live meaningful and productive lives, on their own terms. They aim to provide the best services and opportunities for people with disabilities in communities nationwide. Easterseals serves people and families who face a wide range of disabilities, including physical emotional, intellectual, social and educational.

Crossroads RI is the largest homeless services organization in Rhode Island, and their main mission is to help homeless or at-risk individuals and families secure stable homes. They provide services like housing, basic needs, shelter, case management, referrals, and education and employment services.

Day One is the only agency in Rhode Island that is specifically organized to deal with issues of sexual assault as a community concern. They provide treatment, intervention, education, advocacy, and prevention services to Rhode Islanders of all ages. Additionally, they advocate for public policy initiatives and systemic changes that positively impact how Rhode Island families handle sexual abuse cases.

Capital City Community Centers (Cap City) is a non-profit social service agency in the heart of Providence, RI. For nearly seventy years, they have remained committed to helping members of the community live healthy lives. Their mission is to support individuals and families who have difficulty across life domains with the basic needs of food, housing and clothing to child and senior care.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ocean State, part of Big Brother Big Sister of America, is a mentoring organization that serves children ages 7 to 15 from across Rhode Island who are at highest risk for substance abuse, school failure, early parenting, and violence; those living in high-risk environments such as dangerous neighborhoods or isolated rural settings, or who come from families facing challenges such as major mental illness, life-threatening or chronic disease, poverty, addiction, and domestic violence.

The mission of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island is to protect birds, other wildlife and their habitat through conservation, education and advocacy for the benefit of people and all living things.. It is a non-profit conservation organization which relies heavily on our volunteer friends for support. Opportunities to help Audubon include volunteering, community service.

Founded in 1997 with the belief that musicians can have careers that unite artistry and public service, Community MusicWorks (CMW) builds long-term learning and mentoring relationships between professional musicians, children, and families in the most diverse and underserved neighborhoods of Providence, Rhode Island. Today, CMW is a thriving organization with eight resident musicians, four Fellows who participate in a rotating Fellowship program, and more than 130 students.

A community garden located in the Westbury neighborhood in Houston, TX.