Support the Low-Mod and Land Use Commissions’ forward momentum to address systemic barriers to increasing the supply of affordable housing, including equitable changes to the 10% threshold, comprehensive zoning reform, and insuring we have adequate enforcement and accountability in the distribution of building subsidies.  

Support the development of a statewide Housing Plan, designed in partnership with the Secretary of Housing with Community level input, to include individuals and families with very low, low, and median income. The plan will include a thorough analysis of the housing system; including emergency shelter, a permanent rental assistance program, eviction diversion programs, right to counsel, rent control, and enforcement of minimum housing standards, including a certificate of habitability for all rental properties. Rhode Island’s private rental market is largely unregulated and has historically exploited low-income and BIPOC communities who have been systematically denied access to home ownership. Additionally, we will work to ensure that the State Housing Plan makes for adequate capacity building and investment in the development of affordable housing and affordable homeownership opportunities for our extremely low- and low-income households.

Promote awareness of Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. These are tools that, when combined with increasing minimum wage, help to lift families out of poverty. Our work here is to promote these products to eligible families that do not typically file income tax returns to increase resources in families that need them desperately.

Advocate for greater protections for children and families, to protect our most vulnerable households. Increasing the RI Works benefit amount from 40% to 50% of the Federal Poverty Level or $959 monthly for a family of three plus a cost-of-living adjustment.

Provide benefits to a first-time pregnant woman from documentation of pregnancy to align with RIte Care coverage. This will ensure that medical debt does not saddle the new family and that appropriate medical services are available to support proper growth and development.  

Ensure greater access to Broadband Internet The RI Afterschool Network works to close the opportunity and access gaps for kids of color and kids in poorer communities. When our youth have greater choice, they can explore afterschool in a more meaningful way. Broadband access is one of the oldest barriers to learning and earning in Rhode Island.

Invest $500,000 in the Summer Learning Initiative. Summer learning programs help students experience social, emotional, physical, academic, and citizenship growth. Ninety-two percent of Rhode Island parents support public funding for afterschool programs (According to a 2019 study by the Afterschool Alliance).

Lead a comprehensive campaign for investment in Out of School Time Learning from the State budget, ARPA funding and ESSER III dollars to ensure access for over 59,000 children and youth desperately in need of a quality afterschool programming to supplement learning and exploration of topics they find interesting. 

Youth-centered design promotes the cultivation of relationships among providers who know and care about the community and cultures served. The Afterschool Alliance reports that 72% of kids in afterschool programs are safe and out of trouble and 81% of kids build valuable life skills in afterschool programs. 89% of parents support public funding for afterschool. Additional information can be found here. United Way of Rhode Island continues to focus on various equity indicators, such as social-emotional supports, climate and culture of the afterschool space and local environment, and family involvement and understanding of youth development.

Voter Identification, Registration and Mobilization

Election Mobilization - Take action before election day, November 8, 2022, and beyond, to support organizations and volunteers who organize people to ensure our family, friends, and neighbors are registered to vote and need help getting to the polls. In 2020, more than 80 million Americans did not vote because they missed a registration deadline or didn’t know how to register.

Cities and towns across the state have big elections in 2022. This year’s primaries showed an extremely low voter turnout of fifteen percent. Local elections for mayors, school boards, and more are being held in many communities. Our water supplies, roads, and parks are determined at the local level. These offices and issues affect our daily lives—we need to vote local!