Lifting Children & Families Out of Deep Poverty

RI Works is the state’s cash assistance program for children and their parents or caregivers and a work preparation program for adults. The Raising RI Coalition is dedicated to lifting children out of poverty by increasing the RI Works benefit and breaking the cycle of poverty by providing parents with education and training opportunities leading to well-paying, secure jobs.

Take Action

Upcoming Event: Join us at the Raising RI Coalition kick-off on Tuesday, March 17th at the State House Library!

Raising RI Coalition Legislative Priorities

Our legislative champions Senator Melissa Murray (SB-2828, SB-2843) and Representative Arthur Handy (HB-7689, HB-7690, & HB-7797) have introduced legislation to increase the RI Works benefit amount and expand coverage to all vulnerable Rhode Islanders. These bills will accomplish the following:

Protect Rhode Island’s poorest children and families from inflation

  • Increase the monthly benefit to 100% of the federal poverty level and include a cost-of-living increase.
  • The cash benefit increase in 2021 and 2024 moved the needle on economic well-being for 5,000 children receiving benefits, but inflation continues to decrease the value of this benefit each year.

Restore eligibility to immigrants

  • Eliminate the 5-year waiting period for Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR).
  • Providing RI Works benefits to LPR families, Rhode Island would join thirteen other states in supporting the well-being of LPR residents.

Increase the Child Support Pass-Through 

  • Increase the child support pass-through from $50 to $100 for one child and $200 for two or more children. This would significantly improve the financial stability of low-income families.
  • Rhode Island would join eleven other states in putting more cash into single-parent families budgets. 

Eliminate the $65 benefit reduction for families living in subsidized housing

  • Eliminating this reduction would allow families to use that money for essentials like baby formula, medication, or transportation to work and medical appointments. Housing stability should be rewarded, not penalized. 

Fund the Rhode Island Baby Bond Trust

  •  Provide $3,000 at birth to every child born into an RI Works family, invested until age 18, growing to about $12,000 for education, homeownership, or starting a business. Baby bonds help build wealth and reduce economic disparities.