Advocate

YOU can champion the cause. YOU can make a difference in the lives of thousands of Rhode Islanders. YOU can help make Rhode Island a better place for all of us!

Edwin Pacheco - Exchange City - United Way Advocate

Neighborhood Opportunities Program (NOP). 

What is NOP?

The Neighborhood Opportunities Program (NOP) is a cost-effective program that has helped many in our state and has played an integral part in the development of affordable housing in our community. NOP is now in 28 cities and towns and has created an additional 1,188 units of affordable housing, which includes the production of family housing, permanent supportive housing and home-ownership opportunities. Combined, there are a total of 2,525 affordable housing units in Rhode Island. NOP was a major contributing factor in this achievement.

We believe the way to end chronic homelessness in Rhode Island is through programs like NOP. When NOP was eliminated from the proposed FY2011 State Budget, we joined forces with community organizations across the state to advocate for the reinstatement of NOP funding. While the program was not fully funded, it was restored to $1.5 million.

We strongly support NOP and will continue to champion for continued funding.

Click here to learn more.

CCRI Commission

In the 2010 General Assembly session, we worked closely with the Workforce Alliance and the CCRI 21st Century Workforce Commission and lobbied legislators to support passage of legislation (H8220/S2836) based on the recommendations from the CCRI Commission. This legislation was developed to create a statewide career pathways system that is driven by industry needs, requires a yearly expenditure report and allocates $500,000 from the state budget to support initial implementation of these recommendations. The bill was signed into law by Governor Carcieri on July 29, 2010.

In the Senate’s amendments to the Supplemental Budget, $1 million from the Job Development Fund was proposed to be scooped back into the general revenue account. We testified before the House Committee on Finance to ensure that these funds were restored to the Job Development Fund. The $1 million was restored, and it has been proposed by the Governor’s Workforce Board to use some of this money to support implementation of the career pathways system.

Click here to read the full report from the CCRI 21st Century Workforce Commission.