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Dear Friend,
You've seen the headlines. The faltering economy has hit us hard in Rhode Island. After achieving two successive years of reductions in homelessness in our State, homeless numbers are climbing again. Many hard working people are being driven from their homes. Maybe one wage earner is unemployed and the family can't pay the rent. The bank has foreclosed on the landlord's mortgage, and a renter is evicted. A child's unexpected bout with pneumonia has left no money for household expenses. These scenarios are playing out across Rhode Island - perhaps some right in your own neighborhood.
United Way of Rhode Island (UWRI) allocates more than $1,000,000 annually to safety net services and spends another $500,000 to support United Way 2-1-1 in Rhode Island, our information and referral telephone hot line that connects people in need to social services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But this year, we believe that's just not enough. That's why we have established the United Way Fund to Prevent Homelessness in Rhode Island. And we are asking for your support.
When you make a contribution to the United Way Fund to Prevent Homelessness in Rhode Island you'll be helping a family, someone on your street, or maybe even someone you know stay in their home this winter. One hundred percent of contributions made to the Fund will be distributed directly through agencies to people who need assistance to meet rent, mortgage, or utility payments.
UWRI has been a positive force in this state for more than eight decades, and we have seen Rhode Islanders pull together to help in hard times over and over again. Maybe because our state is small, we understand the connection between us; that when we reach out a hand to one, we influence the lives of all; that we all need help sometimes, and we all do our best to give help in hard times if we can. Now that time has come again. I am confident that we will respond, and our community will be better for it.
Thank you for your support,
Tony
UWRI President and CEO | |
