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For more than four decades, the Mount Hope Community Center has been a cornerstone of the Mount Hope neighborhood on Providence's East Side, serving one of Rhode Island's oldest Black communities with unwavering commitment. Originally established in 1981 to provide recreational programming for Black youth, the Center has grown and evolved into an intergenerational hub offering everything from WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) assistance to senior programs, free tax preparation, small business development initiatives, food delivery and utility support, as well as enrichment activities like swimming, basketball, and arts and crafts.

"We remain deeply committed to meeting the needs of our neighborhood," says Helen Baskerville-Dukes, Executive Director. Under her leadership, the Center has expanded to include a literacy program, a forgivable microloan initiative to support and sustain local businesses, and plans for 12 units of affordable housing.

Board Chair Ray Watson has deep roots in the neighborhood and the organization—with his grandmother once serving on the board of directors. As a former Executive Director of Mount Hope Community Center, he recalls the challenges following the 2008 housing crisis. "Funding was cut, but our staff were willing to volunteer their time, especially during the summer months, to make sure young people had a place to go," he says. Years later, the Center stands stronger than ever, addressing changing neighborhood needs, while honoring the voices of families who remain spiritually and emotionally connected to the community.

As the organization confronts ongoing challenges, from gentrification threatening the neighborhood's character to economic uncertainties affecting nonprofit funding, its leadership looked to ensure long-term stability. Inspired by the strong returns and expertise offered by the Rhode Island Foundation, Board Treasurer Dennis Soares brought a proposal to establish the Mount Hope Community Center Flexible Endowment Fund.

"We wanted to strengthen our balance sheet and protect our programs from being at risk due to decisions made at the state and federal level," explains their Board Treasurer. "The Foundation provided access to investment vehicles that wouldn't otherwise be available to an organization of our size and background."

This new endowed fund anchors the Center's vision for the neighborhood's future. Goals include preserving homes for generational residents, preventing properties from being flipped by investors with no community connection, and potentially building a new community center. "This fund makes people feel confident investing in our initiatives," Watson shares. "We have this structure in place. We're not going away in five years, and those investments won't be going down the drain."  

Baskerville-Dukes looks to the future with confidence: "Our goal now is to continue growing the fund. With this financial foundation, we can ensure the Mount Hope Community Center remains a vital resource, fostering growth and opportunity for all who call this community home."

"The Rhode Island Foundation has been our partner for nearly two decades," Watson reflects. "They've helped us learn how to fish, putting us in a position to do the fishing ourselves. If the Foundation hadn't supported us over these past decades, we wouldn't be where we are today."