Category: Rhode Island Agencies

Social Enterprise Greenhouse

seg10 Davol Square Suite# 100, Providence, Rhode Island, 02903 401-272-2558
CEO: Kelly Ramirez
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Social Enterprise Greenhouse creates positive social and economic impacts by supporting social entrepreneurs and enterprises with the tools and networks they need to thrive. We are a network of business and community leaders who contribute time, expertise and money to create jobs and support positive change through social enterprise.

Food Industry Programs

Rhode Island is a “foodie” state, leading the nation in the ‘farm-to-table’ movement. Despite our large number of farms, premier culinary institution, and organizational momentum behind local food, many Rhode Islanders still suffer when it comes to accessing healthy, nutritious meals. In fact, RI has the highest level of food insecurity in New England and only 1% of diets come from local produce.

Our Impact

With the introduction of our Food Accelerator, we aim to help New England regional food-focused social enterprises address this problem! Thanks to funding from the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, SEG hopes to collaborate with other organizations working in the food space to support ventures that prioritize our local food and economy.

Program Involvement

Food Accelerator

Our goal is to provide much needed business acumen training to do well, do good food businesses. Any type of food related social enterprise is welcome to apply.

Community Table

Our goal is to bring the community together at our monthly, informal discussion about food and food systems. Each month we host an informal, moderated discussion and highlight a local business, organization, or individual that is making an impact in the food community.

Southside Community Land Trust

southside2b109 Somerset Street  Providence, RI 02907  401-273-9419
Contact: Executive Director, Margaret DeVos
Email  Website  Facebook

Everyone needs access to healthy food. Since 1981, the Land Trust has been a forceful change agent for community food security, providing land, education, tools, and support for people to grow food for themselves in greater Providence, Rhode Island.

Our efforts have strengthened community, increased health, and enhanced the biodiversity of our natural environment.  In collaboration with neighbors and community partners we have transformed more than five acres of urban land into safe, healthy, and productive spaces to grow food, and preserved 50-acres of suburban farmland. Currently, with support from Southside Community Land Trust over 600 families city-wide have transformed vacant lots and under-used land into a network of more than 30 productive inner-city community gardens. Our education programs engage a thousand youth each year in the wonder and art of hands-on gardening.

Southside Community Land Trust’s comprehensive urban agriculture programs empower growers of all ages, including children, youth, and adults with the knowledge, skills and facilitative support to harvest high yields of food from small spaces, and to build meaningful connections to one another and nature. The safe, beautiful, and productive spaces created at SCLT’s community and school-based gardens, market farms, and education sites not only allow families to grow food, they also provide places for people to connect across economic and cultural divides to revitalize their neighborhoods, and for innovative farm businesses to thrive.

Farm Fresh Rhode Island

Farm Fresh Rhode Island
1005 Main St.  #8130  Pawtucket, RI  02860  401.312.4250 
Co-Executive Directors Sheri Griffin and Jesse Rye  
Website   Facebook   Email

Farm Fresh Rhode Island is growing a local food system that values the environment, health and quality of life of RI farmers and eaters.

Part incubator, part activator, our programs grow the local food system by building capacity in three areas: Producers → Markets → Eaters

Vision

A New England abundant with diverse family farms and fertile soils, with locally and honestly produced foods and flavors at the heart of every dinner table.

Objectives

  • Preserve Rhode Island farmland and our agricultural and culinary knowledge
  • Build healthier communities
  • Increase access to fresher, tastier food
  • Improve impact of food production and distribution on our environment
  • Strengthen community-based businesses

Rhode Island Community Food Bank

logofoodbank200  Niantic Avenue, Providence, RI 02907  401.942.6325
Contact: Chief Executive Officer,  Andrew Schiff 
Email  Website  Facebook

Provides food to people in need and promotes long-term solutions to the problem of hunger. The Food Bank is an innovative leader in solving the problem of hunger. In partnership with member agencies, as well as government and community leaders, the Food Bank works to ensure that no one in Rhode Island goes hungry. They envision a day when everyone in Rhode Island has access to nutritious food through an efficient and sustainable acquisition and distribution network.

Feinstein Hunger Center for a Hunger Free America

201 Tyler Hall, Kingston RI 02881  401. 874.1000
Director, Kathleen Gorman, Ph.D., 
Email  Website  Facebook

An educational center committed to developing solutions to the problem of hunger in Rhode Island and nationwide. The center promotes education, research, and outreach on the causes and the consequences of hunger and the study of policies and programs aimed at alleviating hunger.

Rhode Island Food Policy Council

Contact: Executive Director: Sue AnderBois
Website

Coordinated by a statewide collaboration of diverse, committed and engaged stakeholders from all sectors of the food system, the Rhode Island Food Policy Council will create partnerships, develop policies and advocate for improvements to the local food system to increase and expand its capacity, viability and sustainability.  Since its launch in 2011,  they have fostered the development and expansion of a committed, passionate and coordinated network of stakeholders by creating linkages and connections among residents, neighborhoods, non-profit agencies, businesses, institutions, cities, towns, state agencies and regional groups. This network is continuing to grow and expand and is now working together to achieve the shared vision of a Rhode Island where there is no food insecurity, where the local food system grows, flourishes, and expands so as to meet the food and nutrition needs of all of its residents and results in the creation of a healthy food environment with zero waste and a thriving, just and expanding local food economy.

Rhode Island Center for Assisting Those in Need

805 Alton Carolina Rd, Charlestown, RI  02813 401. 364.9412
Contact: Executive Director/Founder, Deborah Nigrelli 
Website

Provides emergency food and outreach to thousands of at-risk neighbors in southern Rhode Island and surrounding communities. Our primary objective in breaking the cycle of poverty is to alleviate hunger and food insecurity. At the heart of this effort is our Food Rescue Program in collaboration with Walmart.

Rhode Island Meals on Wheels

70 Bath Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02908   401.351.6700
Contact: Executive Director, Heather Amaral
Website

The only non-profit home-delivered meal program in the state,  it continues to serve thousands of meals each day. Now in 2015, Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island has been delivering meals to seniors and home bound for forty-six years. While the home delivery program is the most recognized service, Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island also has a congregate dining program in Providence and a Senior Wish Program for those in need.  By offering these programs, we are able to fulfill our mission of meeting the nutritional and special needs of the elderly in order to help them maintain their independent lifestyles.

Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island is dedicated to helping Rhode Island’s frail and elderly throughout the entire state.  Since 1969, from Westerly to Woonsocket and from Newport to Cumberland, our staff and team of volunteers serves nearly 1,500 meals each day.  It is through the support and generosity of our friends and neighbors by way of private and corporate donations, that Meals on Wheels is able to continue to help the elderly maintain their sense of independence.

Rhode Island Public Health Institute

Brown University School of Public Health  Box G-S121-8 Providence, RI 02912  401.863.6565
Email  Website

Promotes community health and to eliminate health disparities in Rhode Island and beyond. We partner with Brown University and the Rhode Island Department of Health to develop innovative public health programs, conduct translational and policy research, and train students and public health practitioners.