The Raising RI Coalition kicked off their 2023 legislative priority campaign at the State House on Wednesday. The coalition’s legislative priorities are included in Senate Bill 227 and House Bill 5644 which will improve Rhode Island Works, the state’s cash assistance and workforce readiness program. Among the speakers at the event was Vreneley Espinosa, a single parent who has accessed Rhode Island Works benefits in the past.

“Being pregnant and having a two year old daughter at the age of 24 can make life difficult, especially for a single mom,” said Espinosa. “During that time I had to overcome a lot of challenges, but thanks to cash assistance, it created a safety net or me and my children. Being able to afford food, clothes and other necessities was very difficult without cash assistance. I had to rely on churches and the Salvation Army just to get our supplies.”

Espinosa was unemployed because being pregnant, with a two year old, meant she was unable to afford to hire a babysitter for the time she was at work.

“Sometimes I would feel as though it was my fault and that I had failed as a mom,” said Espinosa. “Today I hope that no person has to overcome the issues I did and that cash assistance is there – just like it saved me. When I finally received cash assistance it felt like some heavy weight was finally lifted off my shoulders… We also received RIPTA passes so I was able to take my daughter to the parks and beaches and other favorite spots.”

Espinosa was able to get help completing her resume and found a job that worked with her schedule. “I was finally able to provide for my two children and I was going to give my children the life they deserve.”

Cash assistance, said Espinosa, “was a safety net for my family, and it gave me a peace of mind.”

“Rhode Island children and their families have been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and now inflation,” said Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, Executive Director of the Economic Progress Institute. “Rhode Island Works has the potential to protect young families and kids from the most devastating effects of poverty. Increasing the quality of benefits in Rhode Island Works will go a long way in breaking the cycle of poverty that is so difficult to escape.”

“The Rhode Island Works Program is intended to serve as a safety net for Rhode Island children and families, but there are too many holes in this net,” said Paige Clausius-Parks, Executive Director of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT. “First time parents are not getting the support early enough, and children are not being kept out of deep poverty. Over the past few years, we have improved this program, but more changes – these changes – are needed to help children and families flourish.”

The bills are sponsored by Representative Arthur Handy (Democrat, District 18, Cranston) in the House and Senator Melissa Murray (Democrat, District 24, North Smithfield, Woonsocket) in the Senate.

Senator Murray stressed that Rhode Island Works is not just a cash assistance program for children and caregivers, it’s also a work readiness program for adults.

“Increasing the Rhode Island Works benefit can break the cycle of poverty by providing parents with education and training opportunities that lead to well paying secure jobs and help en deep child poverty in our state,” noted Senator Murray. She pointed out that the Rhode Island Works benefit is about half the stipend paid to members of the General Assembly, “and unlike Rhode Island Works families, we [General Assembly members] get a cost of living increase.” Three years ago the General Assembly provided for the first increase in Rhode Island Works benefits in over 30 years. “However,” said Senator Murray, “because we did not include a cost of living adjustment for these vulnerable families, much of that progress has been wiped out by inflation.”

See: Rhode Island workers are worth less than those from Massachusetts, say state elected leaders

“We have talked a lot about workforce development coming out of this pandemic and how to use all of these [federal] funds [for] expanding and creating programs that enable folks, especially women, to get back to work,” said Senator Murray. “Rhode Island Works is a workforce development program. It is literally in the name… Rhode Island Works deserves to be funded just like any other workforce development program that we have funded in the last two years.”

Governor McKee’s proposed 2024 budget allocates $211.8 million for economic and workforce development that directly benefits business interests in the state – but proposes no changes or improvements in benefits for RI Works, which would directly benefit our most vulnerable.

See:

• Governor McKee 2024 budget features tiny tax cuts, EACA funding
• Economic Progress Institute breaks down the Governors proposed budget

The Raising RI coalition outlined four goals for the year:

1. Protect Rhode Island children and families from deep poverty and the effects of inflation: Increase the benefit to 50% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) with a cost-of-living adjustment attached so the benefit will be automatically adjusted to follow changes in the FPL. Currently the benefit ($721 per month for a family of three) is equal to only 38% of the federal poverty level, and without a cost-of-living increase the benefit will continue to lose value.
2. Undo harm to children: Eliminate the full family sanction which does not improve program compliance and falls disproportionately on parents who have significant barriers, including physical and mental health challenges, limited education, and domestic violence.
3. Support the well-being of immigrant families: Eliminate the five-year waiting period for Legal Permanent Residents in the program, a waiting period that was introduced in 2008.
4. Promote child and maternal health: Provide benefits to pregnant people from the onset of their pregnancy, rather than waiting until their third trimester, so pregnant people can meet their basic needs and have healthy births.

The Raising RI Coalition has more than 60 organizational members, is committed to lifting children out of deep poverty, and breaking the cycle of poverty by providing parents with education and training opportunities leading to well-paying, secure jobs.