East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP) announces the opening of its Family Center on the second floor of its Newport headquarters, the Jean E. Hicks Center, at 19 Broadway. There, a cohesive network of trained staff members from different programs provide a wide array of services for individuals and families that may be in need of varied assistance.
EBCAP programs and services available at one site include: a food pantry containing nutritious items; a Safety Net family advocate providing assessment and resources, linkages to WIC, Even Start, tax clinic and other community resources; assistance with RITECare (RI’s family health insurance) and SNAP (food stamp) applications; Clinical Services for Youth outreach counselors; the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); Early Head Start and Healthy Families America home visitors; Youth Success pregnant and parenting teen program; Newport Skills Alliance (adult skills training for jobs that are in demand); a community health advocate; a Youth Center representative (work readiness and job placement services for youth ages 14-21); and outreach/enrollment navigators for the Affordable Care (health insurance) Act.
Also located in the center are programs working collaboratively with EBCAP, such as the Rhode Island Center for Law and Public Policy (helping individuals with legal matters concerning issues such as (but not limited to) social security, employment, wills/guardianships, etc), Vet Corps (aiding military
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Veterans and their families), and the Capital Good Fund (financial empowerment/literacy). The Jean E. Hicks Center also houses a dental center on the first floor.
With all of the services in one central location, EBCAP staff members are able to connect with clients in a different way. A comprehensive needs assessment is used by staff members so that appropriate referrals can be made, both at EBCAP and to outside agencies that can help.
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Seena Franklin, Vice President of Family Development explains, “When someone comes to the Family Center, our advocates take the time to talk with them, ask questions to learn about them, their needs and/or the needs of their family. Then, because the advocates also know about internal and community resources, the advocates have enough information to fully provide appropriate referrals, and, when possible, introduce them on the spot to other staff members in the Family Center who might be able to help in other ways. An example is the parent who comes to the food pantry and shares that child care is an issue. The advocate is able to introduce that parent to Head Start staff so they can learn about opportunities for their children there.”
Franklin added “another example might be the elder who comes for fuel assistance and learns that we have a food pantry and sponsor the congregate nutrition program in town…and we can walk them over to the food pantry! It is a holistic approach to serving our clients and helping them without
asking them to tell their story repeatedly to many people at one agency; the family center helps provide seamless services.”
The Family Center is open from 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday with extended evening hours on Tuesdays to 7pm. For more information, please call the Family Center at 401-847-7821, x. 203.
East Bay Community Action Program is a private, non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that provides health and human services to the residents of Rhode Island's east bay including the municipalities of East Providence, Barrington, Warren, Bristol, Little Compton, Tiverton, Portsmouth, Middletown, Newport and Jamestown.
