Campaign highlights

Young professionals support BPI

Lorraine Lalli talks about her support of the Black Philanthropy Initiative.		Antonio DaSilva and Melvin Veasley chat at the Young Professionals reception.		Ruben Feliz and Carrie Bridges were among reception attendees.

 The Young Professional Outreach Committee of BPI hosted a reception to raise awareness and funds for BPI, with the event bringing in $15,000.

Linda Newton, co-chair of the BPI Campaign Committee, urged attendees to live up to the role as a leader in the Black community, to convey a sense of pride, and to give back to the Black community.

Members of the Committee are Lelani Bonner, Antonio DaSilva, Emilio Dorcely, Melissa Husband, Dwayne Keys, Lorraine Lalli, and T'Sey-Haye Preaster.

Foundation launches Black Philanthropy Initiative

Panelists at the public launch of BPI discuss highlights of the scan of the Black community in Rhode Island.		Some 100 people attended the public launch of the Black Philanthropy Initiative on February 10, 2009.		Antonio DaSilva, Walter Stone, Esq., and David Hirsch enjoy the kickoff festivities for the Black Philanthropy Initiative.

On February 10, 2009, some 100 members of the community joined the Foundation for the public launch of the Black Philanthropy Initiative.  Foundation President and CEO Neil Steinberg stated, “We’re excited to be launching a million dollar fundraising campaign for BPI. This has been a long time coming. On behalf of our board of directors, I would like to thank Judge Edward Clifton, Linda Newton, Walter Stone, and Michael Van Leesten, along with former Rhode Island Foundation board chairman George Graboys for their leadership on this important initiative.” The Foundation will match every dollar raised up to $500,000 through March 31, 2012.

The kickoff event, held at Providence Black Repertory Company, featured a panel discussion moderated by Marion Orr, director of Brown University’s Taubman Center and professor of political science, with Keith Stokes, executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, Nellie Gorbea, executive director of HousingWorks RI, and Kenneth Wong, Brown University professor of education and lead author of Black Community in Rhode Island, an environmental scan commissioned by the Foundation in 2008.

Panelists discussed highlights of the scan findings, which shaped the initial grantmaking focus of BPI: economic sustainability and the Black family in three specific areas: housing, financial literacy, and job training.  Learn more by downloading the case statement.