Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation Awards $128,500 in Grants

The Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation has awarded $128,500 in grants to 14 Rhode Island organizations, today announced Harold M. Horvat, bank president, CEO and chairman.

“As a community bank, we remain committed to helping to strengthen the lives of Rhode Islanders. We embrace this responsibility by supporting organizations that are making a positive impact through innovative and collaborative programs,” said Horvat. “These recipients of our Charitable Foundation grants are making a difference where it is needed most.”

Receiving grants are:

• Autism Project (www.theautismproject.org). Autism Project provides quality support, training, and programming that is accessible to all children and adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, their families, and those who work with them. The funds will be used for the two-week summer camp program “WANNAGOAGAIN!” 
• Back to School Celebration of RI (BTSCRI) (www.btscri.org). BTSCRI is a nonprofit organization created to involve parents in the education of their children, thereby helping to create an atmosphere of trust and open communication between schools, students and families. The grant will go toward the purchase of backpacks and school supplies for low-income students in 16 communities. 
• Books Are Wings (www.booksarewings.org). The mission of Books Are Wings is to put free books in the hands of children. The funds will be used to expand the Children’s Book Spot into West Warwick with the “Little Free Library” book sharing program.
• College Visions (www.collegevisions.org). College Visions provides resources to low-income and first-generation college-bound students to promote college enrollment and graduation. The funds will be used to support the college access program. 
• Jonnycake Center of Westerly (www.jonnycake.org). The Jonnycake Center provides a continuum of services to assist people through crisis situations and work to find a path out of dependency. The funds will be used for the food pantry and emergency financial aid for families in crisis. 
• Manton Avenue Project (www.mantonavenueproject.org). The Manton Avenue Project unites young people living in Providence’s Olneyville neighborhood, one of the city’s lowest income neighborhoods, with professional artists to create original theater. The grant will be used to fund the summer dialogue play writing camp for low-income students in grades 5-12. 
• North Kingstown Food Pantry (NKFP) (www.nkfoodpantry.org). The NKFP provides emergency food assistance and services to individuals and families in North Kingstown. The funds will go toward the purchase of food for the school vacation nutrition program. 
• Nowell Leadership Academy (www.nowellacademy.org) of Providence. The Nowell Leadership Academy is a public charter high school founded to serve pregnant and parenting young adults. The funds will be used to renovate and equip the post-secondary counseling center. 
• Ronald McDonald House (www.rmhprovidence.org). Ronald McDonald House of Providence is the only organization in Rhode Island that provides a supportive home for families in medical crisis. This grant will be used for the “Adopt-a-Room” program. 
• Sharing Locker (www.westminsteruu.org) of East Greenwich. This organization provides assistance to low-income residents of Washington and Kent County, as well as Cranston, who are experiencing a need for assistance with non-food products. The funds will be used for backpacks and school supplies. 
• Sophia Academy (www.sophia-academy.org). Sophia Academy is an independent school for girls from low-income homes in grades 5-8 in Providence. The grant will fund student enrollment. 
• Student Diplomacy Corps (SDC) (www.sdcorps.org). SDC provides opportunities and scholarships for high school students from across the nation and around the world to access international education summer programs that build college readiness. The funds will go toward the thematic study abroad program for low-income high school students from Rhode Island. 
• YouthBuild Preparatory Academy (www.ybprep.org) of Providence. This organization operates as a school and provides integrated academics, industry-standard construction skills, leadership development, and support for participants both during the program and afterwards. This grant will be used to support a comprehensive strategic plan process.

In addition to the organizations mentioned above, Centreville Bank also funded the town of West Warwick’s assistance program by providing a grant for the Emergency Food Fund.

The Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation was established as a nonprofit, charitable organization in 2006 by the Board of Trustees to further the philanthropic mission of the bank.