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Resources in Rhode Island

65 listings. Please call ahead — hours and services change.

Adoption

  • Adoption Rhode Island

    Finds families for children in Rhode Island foster care and supports children and families through the adoption process and beyond.

  • Rhode to Adoption

    Rhode Island-licensed private adoption agency: home studies, the required adoption training, support while waiting, and post-placement services. Call or text.

Free / Subsidized Childcare

  • Children's Friend — Head Start and Early Head Start

    Head Start for preschool children from low-income families (education, health, nutrition and developmental support, plus family social services), and Early Head Start and child care from 6 weeks old. Contact headstart@cfsri.org.

  • East Bay Community Action Program — Head Start and Early Head Start

    Head Start, Early Head Start and Pre-K in Rhode Island's East Bay and Newport County: centre-based or home-based options for children 0-5, and home-based services for pregnant women. Call 401-367-2001 to learn how to enroll.

  • Tri-County Community Action Agency — Head Start and Early Head Start

    Head Start and Early Head Start for pregnant women and children from birth to age 5 and their families, in eight towns in northern Rhode Island; a federal early education program for income-eligible families.

  • Head Start & Early Head Start

    Nationwide

    Free preschool, child care and family support for eligible families. Find a program near you online or by phone (Mon–Fri 8–6 ET).

Churches / Baby Closets

  • Mother of Life Center

    Catholic pregnancy centre serving pregnant women since 1973: free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, material help with a new baby's needs such as diapers and bottles, parenting classes for expecting moms and dads, and referrals to local help.

Clothing / Supplies

  • Mother of Life Center

    Catholic pregnancy centre serving pregnant women since 1973: free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, material help with a new baby's needs such as diapers and bottles, parenting classes for expecting moms and dads, and referrals to local help.

Domestic Violence

Employment

  • Dress for Success Providence

    Interview and first-weeks-on-the-job attire for women (with a referral from a partner agency once you have an interview), plus career support.

  • Goodwill of Southern New England — Rhode Island Adult Employment Services

    Job placement help, work experience and job shadowing, skills training and vocational evaluation for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment, at Goodwill's Rhode Island campus.

  • American Job Centers (CareerOneStop)

    Nationwide

    Free local help with job searches, training and career services. Find your nearest American Job Center online or by phone.

  • Dress for Success

    Nationwide

    Professional clothing and career support for women. Find your local Dress for Success on the website.

  • Easterseals — Employment Services

    Nationwide

    Job training and employment support for people with disabilities through local Easterseals affiliates.

  • Goodwill Career Centers

    Nationwide

    Free job training, career coaching, résumé and interview help at local Goodwill career centers.

Potential Financial Assistance

  • The Salvation Army — Southern New England Division (Connecticut & Rhode Island)

    Statewide

    Emergency rent and utility assistance to help families struggling with basic bills stay in their homes; local teams assess each family's needs.

  • Catholic Charities USA (Find a Local Agency)

    Nationwide

    Find the Catholic Charities agency serving your area for emergency, family and housing help.

  • Modest Needs

    Nationwide

    Small one-time grants for working individuals and families facing an emergency expense. Apply online.

  • Society of St. Vincent de Paul

    Nationwide

    Parish volunteers who help neighbors in need. The national office does not give direct help: ask your nearest Catholic parish for its St. Vincent de Paul conference.

  • The Salvation Army

    Nationwide

    Emergency rent, utility and other assistance through local Salvation Army offices nationwide.

Food Programs

  • Amos House

    Free meals every day in its Providence soup kitchen (eat in or take out), plus social services: hygiene products, emergency clothing, rental assistance and help getting IDs and birth certificates.

  • FeedRI (formerly We Share Hope)

    Rhode Island food-access nonprofit supplying 75+ partner nonprofits with food, and running Hope Market in Rumford, a budget-friendly marketplace for food and essentials where everyone is welcome.

  • Jonnycake Center for Hope

    South County food pantry and family support in Peace Dale: free, healthy food, summer vacation meals for school children, and housing and utility assistance.

  • Rhode Island Community Food Bank — Find Food

    Statewide

    Works with 140 food pantries and meal sites across Rhode Island; search the map for one near you. No one is turned away, but call ahead on a first visit to ask what to bring.

  • Feeding America (Find Your Local Food Bank)

    Nationwide

    Enter your ZIP code to find the food bank, pantries and meal programs serving your community.

  • USDA National Hunger Hotline (Hunger Free America)

    Nationwide

    Connects you with nearby food banks, meal sites and programs like SNAP and WIC. Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET. En español: 1-877-842-6273.

Health Assistance

  • Providence Community Health Centers

    Primary care for children and adults at health centres across Providence; patients are seen regardless of their ability to pay.

  • Thundermist Health Center

    Community health centre serving Woonsocket, West Warwick and South County. Discounts based on income and family size (even with insurance), and help applying for health insurance.

  • Abortion Pill Reversal hotline

    Nationwide

    Started a chemical abortion and regret it? Call as soon as you can.

Housing Assistance & Shelters

Infant & Baby Equipment

  • Right to Life Services — Maternity Hope Chest

    Personalized packages for mothers and families: diapers and wipes every month, and clothing and baby equipment (bassinets, pack 'n plays, strollers, highchairs, car seats) twice a year, subject to availability. Call ahead; bring ID. Also free parenting classes.

  • We Heart Lives — Baby Showers

    Smithfield nonprofit that hosts baby showers, with baby essentials, for women at or below the poverty level who have no family or community to host one for them.

Mental Health & Postpartum Assistance

Parenting Classes

  • Children's Friend — Healthy Families America

    Pairs expectant mothers or families with newborns with a Family Support Worker who provides parenting support and resources in the home until the child's fourth birthday.

  • Community Care Alliance — Healthy Families America

    Free, voluntary home visits for pregnant women (or families with a baby under two weeks) and families with children up to age four, with parenting support and guidance, in Woonsocket and ten other northern Rhode Island towns.

  • Family Service of Rhode Island — Healthy Families America

    Home-visiting support for new parents navigating the joys and struggles of parenthood, plus Parent Child Interaction Therapy.

  • Parents as Teachers

    Nationwide

    Free home visiting and parent education for expecting families and parents of young children, through local affiliates.

  • Triple P – Positive Parenting Program

    Nationwide

    Self-paced online parenting courses (also in Spanish). Many states and local agencies offer them free.

Pregnancy Centers

  • Ancora Options (Right to Life Services)

    Free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STI tests and counseling at 266 Smith Street or the Women's Mobile Care Center; book online 24/7. Right to Life Services also runs the Maternity Hope Chest and Esperanza Home maternity housing.

  • Mother of Life Center

    Catholic pregnancy centre serving pregnant women since 1973: free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, material help with a new baby's needs such as diapers and bottles, parenting classes for expecting moms and dads, and referrals to local help.

  • American Pregnancy Association

    Nationwide

    Free, confidential pregnancy helpline and a search for local pregnancy centers, adoption agencies and maternity homes.

  • Care Net Pregnancy Decision Line

    Nationwide

    Free, confidential pregnancy decision coaching by phone, and a map of 1,200+ affiliated pregnancy centers.

  • Heartbeat International (Worldwide Directory of Pregnancy Help)

    Nationwide

    Search 7,000+ life-affirming pregnancy help locations by state, city or ZIP.

  • Option Line

    Nationwide

    Call or text 24/7 to talk about a pregnancy and be connected with a pregnancy center near you.

Special Needs Assistance

  • Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN)

    Statewide

    Peer professionals, who have cared for a loved one with special needs themselves, help Rhode Islanders navigate special education, health care and insurance, and healthy aging.

  • RIPIN Family Voices

    Statewide

    Resources, training and peer support for Rhode Island families of children with special needs, from RIPIN's Family Voices program.

  • Seven Hills Rhode Island — Children's Services

    Statewide

    Across Rhode Island: Early Intervention for children from birth to three with or at risk of developmental delays, and specialized services for children with disabilities up to age 21, including medical and skilled nursing.

  • Easterseals

    Nationwide

    Services for children and adults with disabilities and their families. Find your local Easterseals affiliate.

  • Parent to Parent USA

    Nationwide

    Matches parents of children with disabilities or special health needs with a trained support parent. Find your state program on the map.

  • The Arc

    Nationwide

    Support and advocacy for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, through 549 chapters.

Support for Fathers

Transportation

  • MTM Health — Rhode Island Medicaid Rides (NEMT)

    Statewide

    Rhode Island's non-emergency medical transportation manager: Medicaid members can get rides to Medicaid-covered appointments if they have no other way to get there. Call 1-855-330-9131 (TTY 711) at least two business days ahead.

  • Family Promise

    Nationwide

    Local Family Promise affiliates help families facing homelessness, including gas cards, transit passes and car-related help where available.

  • Medicaid rides to medical appointments (NEMT)

    Nationwide

    Medicaid covers free rides to covered appointments for members with no other way to get there. Call your Medicaid health plan, ideally two days ahead.