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Sunday, June 17, 2012

Support the Fund for Community Progress

Change, not just charity
By Will Collette

St. Augustine wrote “Charity is no substitute for justice withheld” over 1500 years ago. He also wrote In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?”

For that reason, the Providence-based Fund for Community Progress has been one of my favorite places to give. 


FCP founder Joe Vanni
Founded in 1982 by my dearly departed friend, organizer Joe Vanni, the idea from the start was to raise money to fund organizations that changed the social policies that create poverty or impede people from working their way out of poverty.

For example, they have funded the George Wiley Center, run by legendary organizer Henry Shelton, best know for challenging utility companies over their rates and their shut-off practices.

This month, the Fund for Community Progress has sent out an emergency appeal to seek help for its 28 non-profit member organizations  Many are facing severe challenges to their survival as the struggle to fund their work becomes so much harder because of the bad economy. The Fund hopes to raise at least $15,000 before June 30 to help these groups make it through the end of this fiscal year.

My enthusiasm for the Fund for Community Progress in no way diminishes my support for direct service organizations, such as the Rhode Island Food Bank or our local charities like the Jonnycake Center, WARM or RI-CAN. In times of severe hardship such as now, I think we all must do what we can to be both charitable to our neighbors and support the fight for social change.

Some of the Fund’s grantee groups directly organize. Others act as advocates. Just about all of them do a great job of public education on the issues they address.

Here is a list of the member groups of the Fund for Community Progress:

List of Fund Agencies 2012

AIDS Project R.I. (A Division of Family Service of R.I.)
Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues
Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues
Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Advocacy, Health Care & Mental Health Issues
Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Advocacy, Affordable Energy & Housing, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Affordable Energy & Housing, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Parenting & Youth Development
Advocacy, Affordable Energy and Housing, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Advocacy, Affordable Energy & Housing, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Parenting & Youth Development
Affordable Energy & Housing, Community Improvement and Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Affordable Energy & Housing, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Parenting & Youth Development
Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Advocacy, Parenting & Youth Development
Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Parenting & Youth Development
Advocacy, Affordable Energy & Housing, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues
Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues
Affordable Energy & Housing, Community Improvement & Sustainability, Parenting & Youth Development
Advocacy, Affordable Health Care & Mental Health Issues, Community Improvement & Sustainability
Advocacy, Affordable Energy & Housing
Advocacy, Parenting & Youth Development
Parenting & Youth Development, Advocacy, Community Improvement & Sustainability