A Community Response to Homelessness in Cumberland, Rhode Island. Is It Enough?
“Per our conversation on the phone yesterday morning, I am providing an outline of services, suggestions, and funding provided to assist individuals experiencing homelessness. While this is an overview, I will say that every situation is treated as unique and we always try to meet the most immediate needs. We also don’t ask people where they are from when receiving assistance – we have helped individuals from several communities in the Blackstone Valley.
Gift Cards for Stop & Shop
The Town of Cumberland worked with Franklin Farm Association to secure a $20,000 grant for grocery gift cards to support individuals experiencing food insecurity and/or homelessness. Gift cards were purchased in $50 increments (300 from Stop and Shop and 100 from Dave’s Marketplace). Gift cards were provided to the Northern RI Food Pantry to provide to patrons, non-profits, were distributed during direct outreach efforts (these outreach efforts include when Town staff have met with un-housed individuals to discuss their needs), and several were kept at Town Hall for when individuals have come in seeking assistance.
Immediate Need Backpacks
Town staff worked with volunteers to fill 25 backpacks with personal care/hygiene items (socks, sunscreen, wash cloths, toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, feminine hygiene items, first aid kits, etc.). Each backpack cost approximately $25-$30 to fill and these have been provided to individuals on direct outreach visits or when individuals have come to Town Hall seeking assistance.
House of Compassion Support
Originally founded in 1994 as a safe and nurturing residence for persons with HIV/AIDS, now the House of Compassion in Cumberland operates as a community residence for disabled individuals and those who have experienced homelessness.
Within this home-like atmosphere, the staff and volunteers are committed to comprehensively addressing the needs of the residents. Each year the Town provides $1,500 in funding for the House of Compassion operations to ensure they can continue to house people. However, in addition to the grant, we maintain communication and when the House of Compassion has experienced challenges, the Town has stepped in to ensure housing security for the individuals there. Examples include:
- When due to a lack of weatherization in the building, the frigid cold caused a pipe to burst inside the building. This caused significant damage to the building, including the sprinkler system. This made the House of Compassion temporarily inhabitable; the Town immediately responded and managed an emergency 24-hour shelter for the seven residents at Diamond Hill Park Ski Lodge for several days utilizing Cumberland Emergency Response Team (CERT) members.
- Provided staffing to help them apply for a RI Foundation grant to pay back owed utility payments. The grant was secured for $20,000.
Direct Outreach/Coordination with House of Hope CDC
On numerous occasions, the Town has worked with House of Hope to support individuals in the search for housing. Town Staff have provided letters to document that we’ve observed the individuals sleeping outdoors in order to be included in their relevant housing applications. We have also worked with House of Hope to try to help individuals who were living at the OU2 – Superfund Site avoid displacement when EPA came in to begin their remediation work in the area.
Housing and Benefits Application Assistance
Town Staff has continued to provide assistance to individuals in filling out and completing applications for benefits/services/and housing. Typically this would be done by appointment, but often times individuals do not have cell phones to reach out and schedule appointments. Therefore, often times we accommodate individuals on a walk-in basis. When individuals have needed assistance in applying for SNAP benefits, we have coordinated with Mike Kenyon at the Boys and Girls Club in Cumberland who specializes in assisting with those applications.
Food Pantry Allocations
Based on food insecurity data in Cumberland and direct conversations with the individuals who operate Cumberland’s two food pantries – Northern RI Food Pantry and Lighthouse Community Food Pantry – the Town has provided $125,000 in funding to them to expand their efforts to distribute food to those in most immediate need and in the case of Lighthouse, provide clothing.
Amaral Building – Community Paramedicine, Shower, Warming Center
The town is currently investing $4.1 million dollars of grant funding in the Amaral Building at 16 Mill Street, Cumberland. This will adaptively reuse the historic Town-owned asset into a Community Health and Outreach center. Within the building Cumberland’s all paramedic level EMS will provide low-cost and free preventative community paramedicine to individuals, there will also be a shower in the building for emergent needs, and it can/will be used for a warming-center. The Town has also partnered with Blackstone Valley Community Action Program to provide programming out of the building once operational (Fall of this year). There will also be free high-speed internet and computers for individuals to use, job training and certification classes offered, and a giving closet with clothing, jackets, shoes, toiletries and shelf stable food items.
Vital Records Support
The Town of Cumberland has provided direct assistance for individuals who need assistance in retrieving vital record documents in order to apply for benefits or housing. This includes outreaching to other communities including in Massachusetts, researching the requirements, and mailing out information.”
