Support the Fund for Community Progress

Change, not just charity

By Will Collette

St. Augustine wrote “Charity is no substitute for justice withheld” over 1500 years ago. He also wrote “In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?”

For that reason, the Providence-based Fund for Community Progress has been one of my favorite places to give. 

FCP founder Joe Vanni

Founded in 1982 by my dearly departed friend, organizer Joe Vanni, the idea from the start was to raise money to fund organizations that changed the social policies that create poverty or impede people from working their way out of poverty.

For example, they have funded the George Wiley Center, run by legendary organizer Henry Shelton, best know for challenging utility companies over their rates and their shut-off practices.

This month, the Fund for Community Progress has sent out an emergency appeal to seek help for its 28 non-profit member organizations  Many are facing severe challenges to their survival as the struggle to fund their work becomes so much harder because of the bad economy. The Fund hopes to raise at least $15,000 before June 30 to help these groups make it through the end of this fiscal year.

My enthusiasm for the Fund for Community Progress in no way diminishes my support for direct service organizations, such as the Rhode Island Food Bank or our local charities like the Jonnycake Center, WARM or RI-CAN. In times of severe hardship such as now, I think we all must do what we can to be both charitable to our neighbors and support the fight for social change.

Some of the Fund’s grantee groups directly organize. Others act as advocates. Just about all of them do a great job of public education on the issues they address.

Here is a list of the member groups of the Fund for Community Progress:

List of Fund Agencies 2012

Fund Agency	Area of Focus
AIDS Project R.I. (A Division of Family Service of R.I.)	Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues
Alliance for Better Long Term Care	Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues
Center for Hispanic Policy & Advocacy	Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Childhood Lead Action Project	Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic	Advocacy, Health Care & Mental Health Issues
Community Mediation Center of R.I.	Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Connecting for Children and Families	Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Gray Panthers of R.I.	Advocacy, Affordable Energy & Housing, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Groundwork Providence	Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Habitat for Humanity of R.I. – Greater Providence	Affordable Energy & Housing, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Parenting & Youth Development
Housing Action Coalition of R.I.	Advocacy, Affordable Energy and Housing, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Housing Network of R.I.	Advocacy, Affordable Energy & Housing, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Mental Health Association of R.I.	Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Parenting & Youth Development
NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley	Affordable Energy & Housing, Community Improvement and Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
NRI Community Services	Affordable Energy & Housing, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Parenting & Youth Development
Ocean State Action Fund	Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability
OpenDoors	Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability
R.I. Parent Information Network	Advocacy, Parenting & Youth Development
RiverzEdge Arts Project	Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
The Samaritans	Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Parenting & Youth Development
Shelter Services	Advocacy, Affordable Energy & Housing, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues
Southern Rhode Island Volunteers	Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Thundermist Health Center	Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues
West Elmwood Housing Development Corp.	Affordable Energy & Housing, Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Westminster Senior Center	Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Community Improvement & Sustainability
George Wiley Center	Advocacy, Affordable Energy & Housing
Youth Pride, Inc.	Advocacy, Parenting & Youth Development
YWCA Northern Rhode Island	Parenting & Youth Development, Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability