The Washington Trust Charitable Foundation has awarded $125,000 to the City of Central Falls to support the development of “El Centro,” a one-stop, centralized, culturally responsive resource that will connect all Central Falls residents and employees with the health, mental health, wellness, fitness, educational, workforce development, and other wraparound support necessary to thrive. The five-year grant will support the planning, programming, and ongoing redevelopment of the building that will become future home of El Centro at 702 Broad St.
The Central Falls Office of Constituent Services and Health will oversee liaisons for support and services such as the Domestic Violence Task Force, Behavioral & Mental Health, Public Safety Behavioral Health, Afterschool and Summer Education, and Workforce Development and Small Business Assistance.
“Washington Trust is thrilled to invest in the El Centro initiative in partnership with the leadership team of the City of Central Falls,” said Edward O. “Ned” Handy III, Washington Trust chairman and CEO. “This transformative project will provide and centralize critically needed community services for underserved residents and their families. We look forward to celebrating the success of the positive outcomes as the project gets underway!”
“We are grateful for the impactful support of Washington Trust that’s visible throughout our city, from school programming to helping us make our dream of El Centro a reality,” said Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera. “El Centro will be life-changing for our residents, and none of its future resources or work would be possible without the generous support of our community partners who help our families thrive.”