News & Events

                                        Empty Chairs, Empty Futures 

Empty Chairs, Empty Futures was the theme as advocates, community leaders, and Head Start parents from across the state assembled on the State House plaza for a rally on April 10 around 400 child-sized chairs to illustrate the number of poor children who would not attend Head Start the coming fall if the Governor’s proposed budget cuts stand.  The Governor’s budget has recommended the elimination of the State’s investment in the federal Head Start program in order to save $3.3 million in state funds in 2009. The current program, which serves 400 poor children, has already seen funding curtailed by 10% during this operating year with no guarantee of restoration, leaving the seven Head Start pre-school programs wondering how they will get through this classroom year.  The reduction proposed for 2009 will mean the loss of 400 children or approximately 23 classrooms closing across the state.  Speakers at the rally included Head Start parents, Elizabeth Burke Bryant of  Rhode Island KidsCount, Ron Herndon, President of the National Head Start Association, Susan Dickstein of the Bradley Early Childhood Clinical Research Center, William Strader, an Early Childhood Professor from Johnson and Wales University, Jorge Elorza, Assistant Professor of Law at Roger Williams University and a Head Start graduate, Linda Katz of The Poverty Institute at Rhode Island College, and John Kelly, CEO of Meeting Street School in Providence. (Read More...)

New Economic Analysis Cites Lack of State Savings from Proposed RIte Care Cuts

Rite CARE WORKS, a coalition of organizations fighting the devastating cuts that have been proposed to the state’s RIte Care program, gathered at East Bay Community Action Program in Newport on March 31st to explore new research which shows that each dollar cut from the RIte Care program will only save the state 7-cents.

Senate Majority Leader Teresa Paiva Weed, who attended the event and is an ardent supporter of RIte Care, said, “This data only confirms that cutting RIte Care just doesn’t make good financial sense for Rhode Island. Children who are covered under RIte Care get regular check-ups and preventive care, which helps them lead healthier lives and avoid more costly health care services in the future.” Paiva Weed added, “Cutting RIte Care is completely divergent from this state’s recent attempts to improve health care for all Rhode Islanders.” (Read More...)