More than 700 Rhode Island children and teens are heading back to school with essential supplies thanks to a successful drive organized by Coastal Medical’s Community and Behavioral Health teams in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Health’s (RIDOH) Community Health Worker (CHW) Program.
Coastal Medical team members assembled supply bags and coordinated distribution to children in need through Coastal’s practices in East Providence, Cranston, Pawtucket, Warwick, Warren, Wakefield, Jamestown, and Tiverton. Each drawstring backpack contained essential school supplies such as pencils, pens, highlighters, crayons, chapstick, and a notebook.
The initiative aimed to ease the financial burden on families throughout the state and ensure that children and teens are confidently prepared for the school year.
“We are incredibly grateful for all the work our teams put into this effort and for the collaboration we’ve had with the Rhode Island Department of Health Community Health Worker Program over the past year,” said Kelsey Ryan, Director of Clinical Transformation at Coastal Medical. “Thanks to their dedication, we were able to provide hundreds of children with the tools they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond. This initiative is a testament to what we can achieve together when we prioritize the well-being of our community.”
“This is a great example of community health workers’ dedication and understanding of their community,” said Director of Health Jerome Larkin, MD. “Good health and education go hand in hand, so helping to assure kids start school with some basic supplies so they are ready to learn is critical. We extend our thanks and appreciation to Coastal Medical’s CHW Team for helping students get off to a healthy start this school year.”
Coastal Medical practices throughout the state participated in the supply drive, such as Bald Hill Pediatrics, Coastal Family Medicine, Cranston Primary Care, Hillside Family Medicine, Jamestown Primary Care, Metacom Primary Care, Narragansett Bay Pediatrics, Tiverton Primary Care, Toll Gate Pediatrics, Warwick Primary Care, and Waterman Pediatrics.
Coastal Medical looks forward to building on the success of this year's school supply drive and continuing to support the health, well-being, and academic success of children in our communities.