RI Pride Establishes Emergency Food and Supply Drive

Rhode Island Pride is pushing forward in our efforts to meet community needs caused by the COVID-19 crisis. In order to help clients comply with the RI Department of Health’s social distancing directive, the Emergency Mobile Supply Drive is well underway.

RI Pride has set up a temporary mobile food pantry at its office at 1055 Westminster Street. Food donations are received, sanitized, and organized in a low contact dropoff process in order to mitigate the danger posed by COVID-19. From here, volunteer drivers deliver goods directly to client doorsteps. Volunteers are monitored for handwashing and wear gloves when handling donations. Clients in need of resources fill out a web-based supply request form and await a confirmation call from RI Pride.

In its first nine days of delivery, RI Pride has fed more than 1,700 people across the state of Rhode Island and raised over $8,000 from individual donors, and received a $1,000 emergency seed grant from the New England Grassroots

Environment Fund to support its work as it relates to the Emergency Supply Drive. The Grassroots Fund is dedicated to co-creating healthy and sustainable communities throughout New England.

RI Pride continues to raise money and engage with partners to support its efforts. The organization is seeking donations in the form of food and financial contributions to support the additional purchase of food, which it is purchasing at a bulk nonprofit price from the local restaurant depot, BJ’s, and local supermarkets. It is also seeking volunteer food packers and delivery drivers. If you are in need, please submit a request at http://tinyurl.com/PrideRISupplyDrive.

Please contact Rhode Island Pride at info@prideri.com for more information or questions.

Bradley Vanderstad is a Rhode Island Pride Volunteer

Rhode Island Pride is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization comprised of individuals with a sincere interest in recognizing, promoting and celebrating the diversity and successes of the LGBTQ community in RI and Southern New England. By creating opportunities for integrating and promoting visibility for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community, RI Pride promotes equal rights and diversity through public education and the arts. The year-round programs and services of RI Pride provide safe opportunities and venues for people to come out and express and celebrate their sexual identities. For more information, visit www.prideri.com, email info@prideri.com, or call (401) 467- 2130.