Newport Partnership for Families
The Newport Public Library is a member of the Newport Partnership for Families, an interagency collaborative dedicated to working cooperatively to develop and maintain a coordinated network of services to respond to the needs of Newport's children and families. Projects include the Family Service Collaboration Project; Human Services Mall at the Thompson Middle School; the O.J.J. Delinquency Prevention Plan; the Rogers High School Student Activity Center; and School-Aged Children Care. Some recent successes:
- "Safe Schools, Healthy Students"
- "Ideas That Work!" (RI KidsCount, archive, Sept. 2000)
- Federal Government Awards $300,000 to 5 R.I. Cities for Juvenile Programs
History: The Newport Network for Children and Families was established in 1990 through the RI Foundation Initiative to increase collaboration through service agencies and to develop a more integrated service delivery system. In 1994, it merged with the Interagency Collaborative of Newport (ICON). In 1997, it formed the initiative Newport Families First: Our Community's Commitment to Children, for the purpose of outlining priorities, outcomes, and benchmarks for the City of Newport. Through Newport Families First, the partnership collaborates with government and business.
Vision of Newport Families First:
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All Newport children and families will be safe in their homes.
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Every child comes to school ready to learn.
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All children/youth graduate prepared for further education or a career.
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Newport children live in families that are self-reliant.
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Newport children and their families have access to community supports that promote positive behavior.
Partners mentioned in Kathy's story, in order of appearance
- Volunteers
in Newport Education (VINE)
Volunteers are needed for tutoring in school and after school and as coordinators for incentive programs such as Books and Beyond, R.I.F., Bank on books, MathSuperStars and ArtSmart. Volunteers can work for two hours a week or more. For more information, please call Roberta M. Emerson, (401) 849-7845. For news of a $2,500 grant to SOAR (Summer of Adventures in Reading), see the Rhode Island Foundation's Youth in Philanthropy Board. - Sullivan School Family Center:
An Even Start in Newport is a family literacy and education program which provides adult education (GED, ESL, and job training), early childhood education (quality child care for all classes and events), and parent education (information on family/life topics and support services). (401) 845-8579. - Sullivan School/Florence M. Gray Family Center:
Functioning outside the classrooms, the programs are designed to help families living in the Sullivan School District by providing linkage to services and resources in Newport County. Outreach services, on site services, Parents as Teachers Program, Warm Welcome Home visiting Program, After-School and Family Centered Activities and Starting Points birth to three programming. - Newport County Council for Community Services
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
To promote the social well being of families and individuals of Newport County.
Before and after school programs. Ages 3-5 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; ages 6-12 Monday to Friday, before and after school program until 5:30 p.m. (401) 846-4828.
Other services include a daily breakfast program, case management (providing information, clothing and referrals), Feed-a-Friend Program for emergency food assistance, Senior Citizens groups/Recycled Teenagers & Friendship Club, and more. (401) 846-4828 - Florence M. Gray Multi-Purpose Center
Multi-purpose agency located in Tonomy Hill/Park Holm Housing area, which provides services for residents of Newport Public Housing. Newport Housing Office, Board of Tenant Affairs, Community Oriented Police, CODAC on site, community meetings, family recreation, Boys' & Girls' Club site, New Visions Head Start Day Care, GED, emergency food assistance. (401) 849-7243 - Newport Recreation Department
- The Salvation Army
Newport Corps:
Provides family assistance, home visits, services to the armed forces, relief to local homeless and transients, disaster victims, unmarried mothers, alcoholics, senior citizens, seasonal cheer programs, Corps Community Youth Center, mobile canteen, emergency assistance, vouchers for diapers, and regular visits in the hospital and nursing homes. After School Program: Safe environment for children after school, homework assistance and field trips - ages 6-12. Summer Camp/Summer months. (401) 846-3234. - New Visions for Newport County, Project Headstart. Day care for ages 6 weeks to 3 years, 7:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., at the Marcus Wheatland Center (401-846-2460) and the Joel Peckham School (401-846-5454), and for 3-5 year olds , 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the Florence M. Gray Center (401-847-0191) and the Joel Peckham School (401-846-5454).
- Literacy
Volunteers/Newport County:
Roberta Emerson, c/o Rodgers High School, 15 Wickham Road, Newport, RI 02840
(401)849-7845 (phone); bertman@edgenet.net (E-mail)
New Visions
Other agencies participating in the Newport Partnership:
- Big Sister Association of RI
- Boys and Girls Club of Newport
- Boys Town of New England
- Child & Family Services
- Church Community Housing Corp.
- City of Newport
- Codac III
- Community Oriented Policing
- Festival Field Apartments
- Girl Scouts of RI, Inc.
- Newport County Community Mental Health Center
- Newport Substance Abuse Prevention Task Force
- Newport Hospital
- Newport Public Library
- Newport School Department
- Potter Animal Center
- Residents Council Building of Hope
- RI Children's Crusade for Higher Education
- RI Parent Information Network
- Salve Regina University
- Stopover Services of Newport County
- St. Paul's United Methodist Church
- URI Cooperative Extension: Children, Youth & Families, 4H
- Visiting Nurses Health Services
- Women's Resource Center