News Coverage

Jennifer Hawkins, the executive director of ONE Neighborhood Builders, a community-development organization in Providence, spoke to Providence Business News recently about the Central Providence Opportunities initiative. Announced in December, the initiative will focus on investments in two ZIP codes of Providence and is funded by an $8 million grant provided by Blue Meridian Partners, a philanthropic organization. A 17-member resident advisory council will help shape the direction of the grant investments. PBN: What is the Central Providence Opportunities initiative? HAWKINS: Central Providence Opportunities is a partnership that pulls together ONE Neighborhood Builders to serve as the community backbone and project [manager], the...

Governor Gina M. Raimondo today announced that Rhode Island has been awarded an $8 million, 24-month grant to implement Central Providence Opportunities – a place-based initiative to increase social and economic mobility for residents of the 02908 and 02909 zip codes, and then scale these strategies statewide. The pilot initiative, set to commence next month, brings together the Governor’s office, state agencies, the Rhode Island Foundation, and ONE Neighborhood Builders. Governor Raimondo was joined by community partners at a Facebook Live event to launch this initiative. The video can be viewed here: facebook.com/GinaMRaimondo. “This initiative is a critical step in building a stronger,…

Blue Meridian invests $8 million in a new initiative being led by ONE Neighborhood Builders in Central Providence Jennifer Hawkins, executive director of ONE Neighborhood Builders, who will be shepherding a new $8 million pilot program focused on Central Providence WHY IS THIS STORY IMPORTANT? ONE Neighborhood Builders has been chosen to lead a new $8 million initiative funded by Blue Meridian Partners, focused on transforming lifetime trajectories for children and families in Central Providence. THE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ASKED What kinds of data coordination can be done with the social determinants of health surveys conducted by ONE…

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island has been awarded an $8 million grant for a pilot initiative to increase social and economic mobility for city residents in the 02908 and 02909 zip codes, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo announced on Wednesday. The governor’s office said that the nonprofit Blue Meridian Partners made the two-year investment in the initiative, called Central Providence Opportunities, which will be managed by the Rhode Island Foundation. The foundation will serve as the fiscal sponsor of the initiative and provide technical assistance aimed at building toward a plan to scale the program statewide. The 24-month program will be a collaboration…

PROVIDENCE — Gov. Gina Raimondo on Wednesday announced an $8-million grant for a pilot initiative to increase economic opportunities and health equity in two central Providence zip codes. The grant will be funded by the philanthropic organization Blue Meridian Partners over the course of two years and will be managed by the Rhode Island Foundation. The investment will be focused in two central Providence zip codes, 02908 and 02909, which have been some of the state’s hardest-hit areas during the coronavirus pandemic. Through Wednesday, 02909 had the second-most cases of COVID-19 per capita since the start of the pandemic. Zip code 02908…

Quality affordable housing proposed for Lower Fox Point The Fox Point Neighborhood Association recently endorsed a $23 million mixed-use development proposed for Parcel 9 of I-195 land, located in lower Fox Point just south of Wickenden Street, near the Our Lady of the Rosary Church. The “Ernestina” project, which was submitted for approval to the 195 Commission in August by the nonprofit organization ONE Neighborhood Builders, will include affordable apartments, a Children’s Friend child care center, community space, and a combination of onsite and nearby (leased) parking. ONE Neighborhood Builders adheres to the City’s Comprehensive Plan in developing this project, and FPNA points…