{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-joins-amo-and-smiley-to-help-davinci-center-expand-community-services_food-pantry", "Reed Joins Amo & Smiley to Help DaVinci Center Expand Community Services & Food Pantry", "2026-08-31", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", "jackreed", "https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases", "scraper", "PROVIDENCE, RI \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, Congressman Gabe Amo, and Providence Mayor Brett P. Smiley gathered with community members at the DaVinci Center to prepare lunch and celebrate a new federal investment to help the DaVinci Center expand its community services and food pantry offerings.\n\nFor over fifty-four years, the DaVinci Center for Community Progress -- a neighborhood, multi-purpose social service agency -- has served up food, health care, job-skills, connection, and more to Rhode Islanders of all ages in the North End.\n\nIn an effort to bolster the DaVinci Center\u2019s services and programming, Senator Reed teamed up with Congressman Gabe Amo and Mayor Brett Smiley to deliver a $440,000 federal earmark that will strengthen assistance for residents in need.\n\nReed, Amo, and Smiley say this funding is essential after President Donald Trump slashed federal health care and food assistance in order to give lavish tax cuts to the wealthy, as part of the so-called \u2018One Big Beautiful Bill Act\u2019 (P.L. 119-21). Trump\u2019s law is having an ugly impact on local neighborhoods \u2013 slashing Medicaid by $1 trillion, gutting food assistance aid like SNAP benefits, and making it harder for residents to afford necessities. On top of this, President Trump\u2019s tariff taxes and economic chaos are causing higher prices, elevated levels of economic uncertainty, and financial stress for millions of Americans. As a result, non-profits like the DaVinci Center are also being financially squeezed due to rising costs and a growing demand for their services.\n\n\u201cPresident Trump\u2019s drastic aid cuts and price-raising policies are hitting families and communities and straining their budgets. Groceries, gas, health care and household essentials are all more expensive because of Trump\u2019s policies. While the Trump Administration is raising prices and shrinking federal aid, it is increasing demand for help from places like the DaVinci Center and local food pantries nationwide. This infusion of $440,00 provides some much needed reinforcement for the DaVinci Center to continue their outstanding work. But we\u2019ve got to keep pressing to reverse President Trump\u2019s harmful economic policies and get our country headed in a better direction,\u201d said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee who led the successful effort to deliver this $440,000 federal earmark for the DaVinci Center\u2019s modernization and expansion efforts. \u201cI am proud to work with Congressman Amo and Mayor Smiley in bolstering the DaVinci Center\u2019s critical work. We are focused on affordability and bringing down the cost of living and will continue working together to support places like the DaVinci Center and the people and communities they serve.\u201d\n\n\u201cFrom GED classes to food assistance, the DaVinci Center has been helping North End families thrive for more than 50 years,\u201d said Congressman Gabe Amo. \u201cI\u2019m proud to work alongside Senator Jack Reed and Mayor Brett Smiley to deliver the resources this community needs. I\u2019m grateful for these partners who can deliver for Providence because they will ensure these investments will help the DaVinci Center expand opportunity and serve even more Rhode Islanders.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor more than 50 years, the DaVinci Center has been a trusted neighbor for Providence families,\u201d said Mayor Brett P. Smiley. \u201cThis investment will help expand access to the critical resources, food, health and community support our residents rely on. I\u2019m grateful to Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Amo for their continued dedication and advocacy on behalf of our neighborhoods.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are deeply grateful to Senator Jack Reed for his continued commitment to the DaVinci Center and the community we serve. This investment will strengthen our ability to provide essential services, expand opportunities, and continue serving our community with dignity and respect,\u201d said Norma I. Gonzalez, Executive Director of the DaVinci Center for Community Progress.\n\nThe DaVinci Center will use this federal funding to boost community services, expand food pantry offerings, address housing instability, increase health care access, add bilingual services, and fill in workforce development gaps.\n\nIn addition to the federal earmark, $60,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding is directed to the DaVinci Center by the City of Providence.", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-joins-amo-and-smiley-to-help-davinci-center-expand-community-services_food-pantry"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.7976809069514275, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}