Our Recent Accomplishments

Our volunteers win changes that helped thousands of Rhode Island children avoid cold and hunger, such as:

• Won extension of the winter moratorium on utility shut-offs from April 15 to May 1, 2008.
• Obtained an early release of 100 gallons per household of emergency home heating oil using LIHEAP funds.
• Initiated and won legislation to protect households with infants under one year of age from utility shut-offs.
• Defended the right of appeal and won restoration of service for low-income utility users with medical emergencies.
• Secured the right of qualified low-income utility customers to an arrearage management plan to prevent termination of service.
• Negotiated $8,000,000 to be set aside with National Grid in 2006 to be dispensed over 4 years, to offset electric rates impacting low-income households.
• Protected privacy rights of food stamp recipients nation-wide by demanding an end to the “Group Recertification” process.
• Won passage of legislation requiring the federally funded school breakfast program in all Rhode Island public schools and expanded summer lunch programs.
• Won legislation to increase the refundable portion of the Rhode Island state earned income tax credit to 3.75% of the Federal EITC, benefitting 44,000+ low-income working families.

George Wiley Center’s Victories for 2007

Increased Summer Nutrition Participation — Rhode Island continues to show an increase in participation of low-income children receiving Summer Lunch program, despite national trends. The program serves 10,884 children from low-income homes.

Expanded universal free school breakfast program — In a dramatic, “have a heart” campaign, our East Bay members won universal free breakfast in all Title I elementary schools in East Providence. Our March 2007 East Bay/Newport/South County Forum on Hunger inspired South Kingstown to pilot universal breakfast at its Middle Schools in September. This year we reached an additional 2,222 school children. Since we began our breakfast campaign, RI has grown from ranking 50th to ranking 22nd nation-wide, reaching over 25,900 RI students daily with this program that helps children focus and learn.

RI’s Food Stamp program begins a turn from the bottom — By fighting to eliminate the embarrassment of group recertification interviews and advocating for food stamp benefits, we contributed to a participation growth, adding 4,954 persons this year.

Groundbreaking state legislation enacted protecting infants from shut-offs — After a multi-year lobbying effort, Wiley Center initiated legislation was passed by the State legislature on June 21st. The new law (download - .pdf) bans electric and gas utility shut-offs due to financial hardship in homes with children under 12 months of age at any time of the year. Our outreach program helps social service agencies counsel their clients on RI’s utility laws.

Trained low-income consumer utility advocates challenge the status quo — With a grant from the Women’s Fund, 15 members to date were trained and have successfully protected the due process rights of consumers seeking utility justice through the Division of Public Utilities.

Changes in 2006 affordable energy legislation improve likelihood of preventing shut-offs — This year, we won changes in three provisions of the 2006 energy bill and a General Assembly Resolution calling for utility consumer representation through the Attorney General’s Office.

Continued sponsorship of legislation for working Rhode Islanders — to increase tax justice through budget protests, RI’s state refundable earned income tax credit & circuit breaker refunds. We support the creation of living wage jobs and a sustainable energy policy for all!

Universal School Breakfast — The Universal Breakfast program was piloted in three more cities: East Providence, Warwick and West Warwick. The Newport School Committee is currently reviewing a universal breakfast pilot program for the fall.

Electric Heating Bills — Negotiated with National Grid to set aside $8,000,000 to offset increases in utility rates. The funds, held in abeyance for low-income consumers, will be disbursed over the next four-years and include a $2,000,000 set-aside for seniors.

Earned Income Credit — State Income Taxes — Low-income Rhode Islanders filing State Income Tax returns for fiscal year 2005, are benefited by the additional $4,000,000 added to the budget for the Earned Income Credit. This amount represents a doubling of the maximum allowable limit from the fiscal year 2004 level.

Minimum Wage Increase — Won a two-year increase in the state’s minimum wage from $6.75 to $7.40, one of the nation’s highest.

Summer Food Sites for Children — Expanded the summer playground food program to include sites in Newport. We successfully fought to hold onto to last year’s victory in Warwick.