PAWTUCKET – The Rhode Island Foundation has awarded Harbor of Hope Foundation of Pawtucket with $30,000 to boost the number of certified nursing assistants entering the workforce.
“By strengthening pathways into health care careers and partnering with local employers and community stakeholders, we help meet critical workforce shortages while improving access to quality care for vulnerable populations,” said Crisolita Brito, founder and CEO.
Harbor of Hope will help residents who face financial, educational and systemic barriers to training, licensure and employment with tuition-free CNA training, certification preparation and job placement assistance.
“Through this initiative, we aim to create sustainable, community-driven solutions that promote economic mobility, reduce health inequities and build healthier, more resilient communities across Rhode Island,” she said.
The grant, according to a release, is one of dozens awarded statewide under the Rhode Island Foundation’s new Five-Year Action Plan. The full list of grant recipients is posted at rifoundation.org/recentgrantees.
“This funding is the result of the more than one year of community outreach and research that went into creating a comprehensive framework for addressing the demanding challenges our state faces,” said David N. Cicilline, president and CEO of the RIF.
The plan introduced five enhanced community priorities:
• Civic and cultural life;
• Climate action and sustainability;
• Education and student success;
• Healthy and strong communities;
• And housing and economic mobility, guided by inclusiveness, accessibility, empathy, mutual respect and humility.
“We are making strategic investments in programs that have the potential to make a real difference in the lives of Rhode Islanders who are confronted with increasingly difficult decisions as the cost of food, housing, health care and other basic needs rises,” Cicilline said.
The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. Through civic leadership, fundraising and grant-making activities, together with neighbors and partners, the Foundation is helping to create progress that lasts. For more information, visit rifoundation.org.
