SHARE YOUR RHODE ISLAND WORKS STORY (Confidentially)
The Rhode Island Works benefit has not been increased in close to 30 years, while all other New England states have adjusted their benefit to help families keep up with inflation. The 4,000 families currently enrolled in the program receive an average of $6/person/day.  The benefit is 30% of the federal poverty level, meaning that 10,000 Rhode Islanders, including 7,200 children, are living in deep poverty (below 50% of the poverty level).

The Raising RI coalition is trying to raise the RI Works benefit to 50% of the federal poverty level over the next two years – to lift families out of deep poverty. In the first year, the benefit for a family of 3 would rise from $554/month to $711/month, giving families more resource for clothing, toiletries, housing, transportation, food and other basic needs.

We are also working towards an increase in the clothing allowance. Currently, the clothing allowance is dispersed once annually, in the amount of $30 per school-aged child. Raising RI is committed to increasing the clothing allowance in accordance with the current budget proposal, to $100/child, and would like to see all children included.

Raising RI is also currently demanding an emergency payment in the amount equivalent to 1 month of benefits be provided to families. Since COVID-19 has had a negative financial impact and RI Works families are overlooked in many forms of emergency aid (eg. many were already receiving the maximum SNAP benefits, and additional weekly unemployment benefits do not extend to those unemployed receiving RI Works).

By telling your story, you help put a face to how everyday people will be impacted by enhancements to the RI Works program. Your story can help influence local lawmakers, inspire your neighbor to become an advocate, or help someone understand the importance of our fight against poverty in the state.

The Raising RI Coalition is a group of community, healthcare, social service and advocacy organizations that serve low-income families and are working to ensure that families can meet their needs.
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Legislators often think there isn't much poverty in their area.This information will help us to identify your legislative district, which will help us better advocate at the state house.
Share Your Story (about the monthly benefit amount)
Common questions/statements in this section are: 1) Are you currently receiving RI Works benefits? If not, when and for how long did you participate in the program? 2) What other supportive services (ex. work preparation, English language learning, etc.) helped you while receiving RI Works? 3) Are you currently employed? If so, where do you work? 4) Including yourself, how many people are in your household? 5) How has the RI Works benefit helped you and your family? 6) How would an additional $117-335/month while receiving RI Works help your family? What might you have been able to afford that you couldn't? 7)How would having more money in my family's monthly budget make you feel? 8) In your opinion, why is it bad that the benefit hasn't been increased in 30 years? 9) In your opinion, why is it important for the general assembly to increase the benefit amount for the upcoming year?
Share Your Story (about the clothing allowance)
The current clothing allowance is $30/year/school-aged child. Common questions/statements in this section are: 1) How would an additional $70/child help when clothes shopping? What might you have been able to afford that you couldn't? 2)How would having more money in your family's monthly budget make you feel? 3) In your opinion, why is it bad that the clothing allowance is only $30/year/child? 4)In your own words, why should all children be included in the clothing allowance, not just school age kids? 5) What kinds of clothing problems do you experience for your younger children that you don't for school aged kids? eg. buying onesies often because of frequent spit up or diapers leaking 6) In your opinion, why is it important for the general assembly to increase the clothing amount this year?
Share Your Story (about a one-time emergency payment)
Due to COVID-19, many families are experiencing even more financial hardship, and it is often overlooked that families receiving RI Works are left out of other forms of assistance or stimulus (eg. many people were already receiving the maximum SNAP benefits, and additional weekly unemployment benefits do not extend to those unemployed receiving RI Works). In your own words, could you tell us why a one-time emergency payment would be helpful?
Permissions
At Raising RI, we strive to be accountable to impacted community members. As a current/former participant of the RI Works program, would you like to join our steering committee?
The steering committee typically meets once monthly, on Wednesday mornings. Joining the steering committee would mean that your voice is part of the core group within the Raising RI coalition that helps to determine the direction of our advocacy.
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