2022 AWARDS & POLICY LUNCHEON

About the Event

The Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families is thrilled to bring together community human service and health providers with corporate, government, and philanthropic leaders at our 2022 Awards and Policy Luncheon. First initiated in 2018 and suspended during the COVID-19 epidemic, our event celebrates the work of our sector in promoting the safety, health, and success of children, youth, and families. The luncheon is an opportunity to hear from a leader in our field, honor key elected officials and lift up particular legislative actions, and recognize the contributions of key corporate and philanthropic champions.

RICCF is a statewide Coalition comprised of thirty-eight community-based organizations providing direct social and health services to children, youth, and their families in every community in Rhode Island as well as three allied organizations (see list www/riccf.org/members). Our mission is to promote the safety, health, and success of children, youth, and their families through education, collaboration, and advocacy. Our work centers on issues of family support, children’s behavioral health, child welfare, and health and human services workforce.

This year our keynote will focus on the nonprofit sector that has worked so tirelessly to meet the needs of children, youth, and families during the incredibly challenging pandemic years. Our keynote speaker is Dan Cardinali, President & CEO of Independent Sector, a national membership organization at brings together a diverse set of nonprofits, foundations, and corporations to advance the common good. Mr. Cardinali will be reviewing national research and trends regarding the nonprofit sector.

This year we will be honoring the following individuals and groups:

Congressman James Langevin for his work as Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus for Foster Youth and as a champion for Rhode Island youth in care.
Representative Marcia Ranglin-Vassell and Senator Sandra Cano for success in passage of the Trauma-Informed Schools bill which will provide training for all Rhode Island school personnel on the impact of trauma on children and youth.
Representatives Julie Casimiro and Louis P. DiPalma for their leadership and tireless work to stabilize the human services sector and ensure quality services. Their work resulted in passage of a state requirement for a rate review and rate setting mechanism for human services in our state.
Navigant Credit Union for its philanthropic commitment to the community which led this year to their fully underwriting the National Foster Care Month celebration at Roger Williams Zoo attended by more than eight hundred youth and family members.

Thank you for your interest and we look forward to seeing you to celebrate our sector and our award recipients on October 6th.

Keynote Speaker

Dan Cardinali

Dan Cardinali is president and CEO of Independent Sector, the only national membership organization that brings together a diverse set of nonprofits, foundations, and corporations to advance the common good.

Before joining IS in 2016, Dan served on the IS Board of Directors and several IS member committees. He also led IS member, Communities In Schools, the nation’s largest and most effective dropout prevention organization, for 12 years after working in other positions at the organization.

As a thought leader in the field of public education, Dan was credited with fostering the growing national trend toward community involvement in schools through partnerships with parents, businesses, policymakers, and local nonprofit groups. As the president and CEO of IS, he believes strongly in the power of nonprofits, foundations, and other organizations to work collaboratively to improve life and the environment for individuals and communities around the world. Dan is known for his commitment to performance management to drive evidence-based programs and high impact organizations.

Early in his career, Dan worked as a community organizer in Guadalajara, Mexico organizing a squatter community to secure land rights, running water, and public education. He then returned to Washington, DC for a research fellowship at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University.

Dan was a 2007 Annie E. Casey Children and Families Fellow, serves on the board of Child Trends and the advisory boards of Harvard Business Schools’ Social Enterprise Initiative, the Conference Board’s Center on Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy, and Project Evident. He is also a trustee of The Fetzer Institute. He holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and a master’s degree in philosophy from Fordham University.