Cityside Project Series: Addressing Homelessness with the United Way of Rhode Island
February 10, 2022
In our Cityside series, we’re sharing some of the projects throughout Providence that Wheeler 8th-graders are working on with various NGOs, non-profit organizations, community groups, and branches of government. Today, we’re focusing on the partnership between a Cityside student group and the United Way of Rhode Island to raise awareness about homelessness and housing insecurity.
“As homelessness increases daily in Rhode Island and throughout the country, this group of advocates will shine a bright light on this issue with clear solutions for our state to consider,” says Kyle Bennett ’89, the United Way of RI’s Director of Policy and Equity.
Charlotte Rampino ’26 is part of the student group. She says they’re planning to produce a podcast about homelessness and housing insecurity and provide access to helpful resources on the topic. She describes the Cityside experience as eye opening. “I feel like before all of my work in the program, I had a lot of preconceived notions and biases around people experiencing homelessness. Now I can see there are so many reasons why someone could fall into a difficult position.”
Rampino says working out of the Cityside classroom at the WaterFire Arts Center has been an amazing opportunity and meeting with Kyle Bennett and Bonnie Clark, the United Way of RI’s Program Officer for Housing Initiatives, has been a highlight of the year. He appreciates their work together as well. “Having youth review the advocacy campaign presents an opportunity to reimagine the campaign and speak life into it from their perspectives,” he says. “I am always surprised by youth that have an interest in public service and the greater good. Wheeler students participating in the Cityside program have proven to be as engaged and idealistic as other youth I have worked with in the past, but one thing that is different with this group is they did not have connectivity with the populations identified for service prior to their research and concept development for their initiative. The “ah-ha” moment for this group shows that people from all geographies and backgrounds have the capacity and will to make change for people in need.
“I am impressed with the concept of this program and its connections to Olneyville,” Bennett adds in reference to the Providence neighborhood where the project is focused. “There are many nonprofits operating in Olneyville, but those are mostly organizations that are based in Olneyville. The insights shared by Cityside youth are admirable and inspiring as they relate to solving the issue of homelessness. I look forward to long-term connectivity with this program and partnership with the youth advocates and staff.”
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