KINGSTON, R.I. – Sept. 16, 2026 – Three years ago Lucas Johnson founded a nonprofit organization to provide unhoused individuals with an immediate need for nourishment and a more lasting need of having a sense of purpose.

Johnson’s organization, Sandwich Party Sunday, makes and distributes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What distinguishes the program from others that address food insecurity is how recipients are encouraged to also serve as volunteers.

“We don’t want people to only receive help, we want them to have opportunities to contribute to the community and their own well-being,” said Johnson, who is a junior majoring in medicinal neuroscience at the University of Rhode Island. “Helping us prepare or distribute meals creates a sense of belonging, responsibility, purpose, and confidence. We want to create a pathway for people to go from surviving to thriving.”

In the first two years of Sandwich Party Sunday, Johnson and his team of volunteers put together bags of lunches at Roger Williams Park and delivered them to the homeless at Kennedy Plaza in downtown Providence. This summer, the group was based at the Mathewson Street Church in Providence.

Due to word of mouth and a growing need, volunteers distributed 130-170 sandwiches each Sunday this summer, an increase of 50-60% over last year. Donations, such as the $5,000 Navigant Credit Union gave in May, has helped cover expenses, but Johnson needed more than financial support—he needed guidance on how to strengthen and grow his program.

Helpful URI connections

Johnson took an online communications course this summer instructed by Crystal Fonseca Greene, associate teaching professor in URI’s Harrington School of Communications and Media. The course benefited his nonprofit in ways he couldn’t have predicted.

“Once Professor Greene learned what I was doing with Sandwich Party Sunday, she was a tremendous help,” said Johnson, who transferred to URI after completing an associate’s degree in biology from CCRI. “She had the entire class work on different components of the nonprofit. She even showed up on a couple of Sundays to help.”

A classmate recommended to Johnson that he also reach out to Keith Ranaldi, director of innovation and entrepreneurship at the URI Library’s Innovation Labs. After connecting with Ranaldi in the middle of June, Johnson’s been meeting with him for advice every Thursday.

“Keith helps me define and drive my mission, and he’s connected me to other URI resources,” said Johnson, who is from Warwick. “I am forever grateful for Keith.”

“What’s impressed me the most about Lucas is that he is not approaching Sandwich Party Sunday simply as a food-distribution program,” said Ranaldi. “The sandwich is increasingly the point of entry—a reason for people to gather, interact, contribute, and begin building relationships.”

Many of the conversations with Ranaldi have focused on the culture Johnson is creating.

“Lucas is meeting people where they are—addressing immediate needs while also creating opportunities for education, personal development, creative expression, health and wellness, and connection to systems that may help them move toward greater stability,” said Ranaldi.

Ranaldi has also encouraged Johnson to apply what he is learning about neuroscience.

“We talked about how he might thoughtfully translate research around human development, social connection, nutrition, behavior, motivation, and well-being into accessible experiences for people who may not ordinarily have exposure to those ideas,” said Ranaldi. “That could be through practical life-skills education, healthy cooking and shopping, creative-writing or poetry, health-related programming, or creating consistent opportunities for positive social interaction.”

Translating his classroom learning into his nonprofit work gets to the heart of what Johnson is doing and why. “I’m studying neuroscience to understand how the brain works and adapts. I plan to implement that knowledge in my work, because I believe our lower-income cities are in a drought of people pursuing their best lives, and I want to help solve that problem.”

Entrepreneurial thinking

Another meaningful resource Johnson took advantage of this summer was URI’s RISE UP program, which provides training and mentorship to help people turn innovative ideas into real-world solutions.

“The RISE UP program challenged me to think in ways I never thought before, while instilling an entrepreneurial mindset into my daily practices and the mission of my nonprofit,” said Johnson. “I discovered that the processes for a non-profit aren’t much different than they are for companies, besides revenue streams and the channels through which the program is implemented. The process of customer discovery and researching the problem to develop the solution is really the same.”

Johnson appreciated the guidance of Joe Loberti, URI alumnus and successful local entrepreneur who serves as a mentor for RISE UP and URI Innovations.

“As a non-profit, there are always connections to be made, but they can deviate you from your main mission,” said Johnson. “Joe made sure I made partnerships intentionally, not just for the sake of making partnerships.”

With more volunteers, increased financial support, and the right partnerships, Johnson is hoping to turn Sandwich Party Sunday into a year-round program.

“I want to help people find their greatest pursuit of happiness and become the best version of themselves,” said Johnson.