October 29, 2019 (Smithfield, RI) – What’s the best way to celebrate 25 years of service? Well, if you ask Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island (Neighborhood), you create a spirited, meaningful way to pay tribute to your deeply committed employees, who every day are ensuring access to health services for the state’s most at-risk populations. And, you add an opportunity to further enhance the communities you serve by supporting charitable organizations that meet the needs of your members. Neighborhood’s 25th Anniversary Rally hosted in its front parking lot today gathered close to 500 employees, dressed in Neighborhood green, to form a giant number 25 against the backdrop of music from 1994—the year it began serving its members. The outdoor spectacle also featured a flash mob dance to “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang and check presentations to two Rhode Island charities.
“What I love most about our 25th Anniversary Rally is that it was an opportunity to literally bring together our incredible staff and support them in giving back to the community,” said Peter Marino, president and CEO of Neighborhood. “Every day I get to witness their unwavering commitment to our members and our mission. Today, we honored them for their contributions in a very special way.”
The 25th Anniversary Rally concept came to life quickly. Staff with choreography experience enthusiastically stepped forward to volunteer their talents for a flash-mob style dance while others tapped their analytical skills to plot out how 500 employees would form a giant 25. The rally was timed to take place during Employee Appreciation Week at the organization.
Marino also invited employees to select the next two recipients of Neighborhood’s 25th Anniversary Charitable Giving Program, which made its first donation in June. Presenting the donations at the rally to the selected non-profits illustrated the connection Neighborhood’s employees have with the communities they serve. The nonprofit organizations that received the highest number of employee votes were Help the Homeless RI (based in Cranston) and House of Hope (based in Warwick). Each organization was presented a $2,500 donation to support their work.
“I was floored when I learned House of Hope was chosen by the employees of Neighborhood to be a recipient of their 25th Anniversary Charitable Giving Program,” said Laura Jaworski, executive director of House of Hope Community Development Corporation. “It truly is an honor to be recognized by those working within Neighborhood, who often see firsthand the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness, and recognize our efforts to solve this critical issue. This charitable donation will have a meaningful impact as we support and restore dignity to those experiencing homelessness in Rhode Island.”
Andrea Smith, executive director of Help the Homeless RI said, “We are so grateful to Neighborhood for recognizing the importance of what we do to reduce homelessness in the state. Our goal is to connect
Rhode Island’s homeless to services so they can move off the streets and into their own place. Until that day, Help the Homeless RI provides basic human needs such as winter essentials, sleeping bags, and tents, and our volunteers provide 400 meals in three communities, every Sunday.”