Lawmakers in Rhode Island are considering legislation to allocate $75,000 in state funding to a Jewish nonprofit that offers communal social services, particularly to the elderly.
Senate Joint Resolution 2252, introduced by Democratic state senator Meghan Kallman, scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday, would allocate the funding to Jewish Collaborative Services (JCS).
Formed in 2018 through the merger of Jewish Family Services and the Jewish Seniors Agency, JCS is “a nonprofit community service agency providing resources and supports to Rhode Island households in need,” according to the measure, addressing “food insecurity, housing instability and access to essential resources for underserved communities.”
It serves both Jewish and broader populations, including seniors, low-income households, immigrants and people with disabilities, the measure states. It also provides the state’s only kosher pantry, senior congregate kosher-meal site and Kosher Meals on Wheels.
If enacted, the resolution would draw “money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 2026-27.”
