The Jonnycake Center of Peace Dale provides assistance to less fortunate families in Rhode Island by providing clothing, food and household items to their clients. According to Jonnycake Center Executive Director Susan Gustaitis, “hats and mittens, especially during the cold autumn and winter months, are needed now more than ever. We are so thankful for the generosity of the URI Public Relations students. The philanthropic work of the society will touch the lives of those in need in our community.”
This effort is just one of the many projects the Public Relations Society of URI will organize to aid the Rhode Island community. “Initiatives such as Warming Hearts allow the school to fulfill its goal of creating positive change through collaboration with the community,” said Renee Hobbs, director of URI’s Harrington School of Communications and Media. “Our school’s mission is to work together to use the power of communication and information to make a difference in the world. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work with the Jonnycake Center to help local families in need.”
The Jonnycake Center was opened in 1974 by community members who saw a need for a program that could help people who might not qualify for support through established agencies. Named after the jonnycake, a staple food in colonial days, the founders’ goal was to provide basic necessities for local people in need. The center was operated from a storefront in Wakefield before moving to its present location at the rotary in Peace Dale. Today, the Jonnycake Center’s Emergency Food Pantry provides food to individuals and families who are having a hard time making ends meet. For more information about the Jonnycake Center, please visit: http://www.jonnycakecenter.org/