In The News - Mentor Rhode Island

Mentor Rhode Island BREAKING NEWS:

UPDATE: 8/6/2018

We’ve just learned that the City of Warwick has proposed giving additional funding to the school committee.

We are grateful to Mayor Solomon and the City for making this proposal, specifically mentioning restoration of the Mentor Program & for their understanding of the valuable role mentors play for the youth of Warwick.

However, we are VERY concerned that the proposal may not be enough for the School Committee to fully restore the Warwick Mentor Program!!!

If you were planning to attend the upcoming school committee and city council meetings in support of the program, please keep them on your schedule.

We still need your voice!

There is still work to do to ensure full restoration of the Warwick Mentor Program.

Those meeting dates and times are:

Warwick School Committee Meeting. Tuesday, August 14, at 6:00 pm in the auditorium at Warwick Veterans Middle School, 2401 West Shore Road.

Warwick City Council Meeting. Wednesday, August 15, at 7:00 pm at Warwick City Hall Council Chambers. 3275 Post Road.

We will give you further updates as we get them.

SAVE THE WARWICK MENTOR PROGRAM

Dear Friends, Mentors, and Supporters,

All of us at MENTOR Rhode Island are sad, devastated, heartbroken AND ANGRY.

We were blindsided by the news that, on Tuesday night at the School Committee Meeting, our entire funding for the Warwick Mentor Program was cut from the budget. As you know, mentoring is not a “nice to have” program. It is a “need to have” program which gives support to the young people we serve. Currently there are 160 mentor/mentee pairs ranging from 2nd grade through high school.

How do we tell these children that their mentors, people they have relied on week after week, year after year in some cases, are unable to continue? I am outraged. I hope you are, too.

Will you please help us to advocate for the reinstatement of these funds?

Our program has been in existence and funded by the school department since 1990; it is the foundation of our organization. Thirty years of history and amazing results for Warwick kids…. I cannot find the words to express the disappointment and devastation we are feeling.

Please reach out to our elected officials to express your thoughts:

School Committee members
Bethany Furtado, Chair – 401-737-2354, bethany.furtado@warwickschools.org
Eugene Nadeau – 401-463-8742, eugene.nadeau@warwickschools.org
Karen Bachus – 401-732-3757, karen.bachus@warwickschools.org
Terri Medeiros – terri.medeiros@warwickschools.org
David Testa – 401-626-1084, david.testa@warwickschools.org

City Council members
Richard Corley – 401-481-5436, rkcorley@corleyassociates.com
Jeremy Rix – 401-263-5559, rixforwarwick@gmail.com
Timothy Howe – 401-215-0632, Howe.Ward3@gmail.com
Edgar Ladouceur – 401-447-7181, ed.ladouceurri@yahoo.com
Donna M. Travis – 401-738-9774, Donna.M.Travis@warwickri.com
Stephen P. MacAllister – 401-287-1813, smcallister4@gmail.com
Joseph Gallucci – 401-487-6224, joegallucciward8@cox.net
Steve Merolla, Council President – 401-739-2900 x306, smerolla@merollalaw.com

Mayor Joe Solomon – 401-738-2004, mayorsoffice@warwickri.com

If you are a mentor, please share YOUR story with these officials! You are so important in the life of your mentee and to the success of the Warwick Mentor Program.

We have an emergency meeting of our Board of Directors on Monday, July 30th. We will formulate our next steps and contingency planning at that time. I will update you as soon as we have some answers.

How do we tell 160 vulnerable kids that they aren’t a priority? We need your help!

Please reach out TODAY. It matters for our kids.

With gratitude for all you do,

Jo-Ann
and the entire MENTOR Rhode Island team
401-732-7700

P.S. If you have any thoughts on other ways you may be able to help, please do not hesitate to reach out.