A love letter to Rhode Island: In just 36 hours, 401Gives raised over $5 million to make a big difference in the smallest state
I remember the first time I heard the phrase, “Rhode Island punches above its weight class.” To me, it’s a simple truth: We are small, but mighty. That strength is real and it shows up when it matters most.
If you’ve lived here for more than a minute, you’ve seen it. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rhode Islanders rallied to support one another in extraordinary ways. When a recent government shutdown threatened SNAP benefits, we saw it again. But there’s one moment each year that captures this spirit as powerfully as any other: 401Gives.
And once again, Rhode Island showed up.
In just 36 hours, more than $5 million was raised to support over 700 of our state’s nonprofits, breaking every record. At a time when the cost of living is rising and federal funding can be uncertain from one moment to the next, the demands on nonprofits, and the families they serve, continue to expand. For many organizations, those pressures are becoming a crisis.
And yet, in the face of it all, Rhode Islanders stepped forward and said, “We’ve got your back.”
That’s what it means to live out the belief that United is the Way.