CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust Awards $1,014,500 Dollars to Thirteen Non-Profit Organizations in Rhode Island

The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust, the private foundation managed by CVS Corporation , announced today that it has awarded $1,014,500 in grants to thirteen non-profit organizations in Rhode Island.

"We are pleased to support these very worthy charities that are working hard here in our home state to improve people's lives," said Eileen Howard Dunn, Vice President of the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust. "Our 5,100 CVS colleagues who live and work in Rhode Island are very proud to be able to give back to the communities where we do business through our Charitable Trust grants. Together with other initiatives such as the CVS Charity Classic and the CVS/pharmacy Downtown 5K, we are committed to making a meaningful difference in Rhode Island."

Grants were awarded to organizations dedicated to healthcare, education and community engagement. "The foundation focuses on those projects that clearly demonstrate they are meeting a need within the community, and where collaborative efforts and measurement tools are in place to track success. We are confident that each of the non-profits we chose to work with in the coming year will create positive change and influence in the communities we serve together," said Howard Dunn.

Rhode Island based organizations that received a grant from the CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust are:

Meeting Street

Description of grant: Funding directed to the establishment of the Meeting Street National Center of Excellence through its Power of Inclusion Campaign. The Meeting Street National Center of Excellence will offer children with disabilities and their families a fully accessible, state-of-the-art environment. An environment, which offers an education second to none, continued access to clinical expertise, special equipment and community-based inclusive academic resources in the same setting as their peers without disabilities.

  Link to website: http://www.meetingstreet.org/matriarch/
  Contact name at organization: John M. Kelly (401) 438-9500

  Trinity Repertory

Description of grant: Awarded grant funds will support Trinity Repertory's educational programs, bringing Shakespeare to schools and youth groups in the communities throughout Rhode Island, fostering interaction of Trinity Rep's artists and art educators with youth.

  Link to website: http://www.trinityrep.com/index.cfm?Action=Home
  Contact name at organization: Steve Sorin (401) 521-1100

  Butler Hospital

Description of grant: The grant is directed to Butler Hospital's Campaign for Hope and Healing. The new inpatient unit will reflect state-of-the-art geriatric psychiatric care for patients experiencing acute symptoms for psychiatric illness or brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

  Link to website: http://www.butler.org/
  Contact name at organization: Anne Powers (401) 455-6565

  Landmark Medical Center

Description of grant: Monies from the grant will fund the purchase of a handicapped accessible community care van. The van will be used to transport patients to and from the hospital for health care treatments, exams, testing, and general health care procedures. The van will also be used as a support service to the Southern New England Regional Cancer Center for patients undergoing radiation therapy.

  Link to website: http://www.landmarkmedical.org/
  Contact name at organization: Mary Kozik (401) 769-4100

  Providence Children's Museum

Description of grant: Funding to sponsor the "CVS Free Sundays Program," (first Sunday of every month). Free admission ensures museums accessibility to families of all economic backgrounds. CVS Free Sundays provided children and caregivers inspiring shared learning experiences in all of the interactive exhibits.

  Link to website: http://www.childrenmuseum.org/htdocs/index.html
  Contact name at the organization: Jennifer Laurelli (401) 273-5437 x120

  RI Kids Count

Description of grant: Rhode Island KIDS COUNT is a statewide children's policy organization dedicated to improving the health, education, economic well-being and safety of Rhode Island's children. Funding from the Trust supports the Rhode Island KIDS COUNT Issue Brief Series, which provides an in- depth look at critical issues affecting children and families. The Issue Brief Series are widely used by policy makers and community leaders working oh behalf of children.

  Link to website: http://www.rikidscount.org/matriarch/
  Contact name at organization: Elizabeth Burke Bryant (401) 351-9400

  Providence Public Library

Description of grant: Funding directed to the Cradle to Crayons program. This program proactively support very young children's healthy mental, social- emotional and physical development by helping to ensure that children ages 1-3 start early acquisition of language comprehension, motor skills, and social skills. Further, parents and caregivers are provided with an educational model, a supportive environment and direct access to Community Specialists in healthy childhood development.

  Link to website: http://www.provlib.org/
  Contact name at organization: Maureen Krasnow (401) 455-8011

  Federal Hill House Association

Description of grant: Bundles of Joy Resource Center is a family support program that serves prenatal parents and families with young children living in Providence. Program is designed to provide support, information, resources and a sense of community. Funding will enhance services to providing crucial needed support to parents with special needs such as cognitive impairments, developmental delays, and mental health issues.

  Link to website: http://www.federalhillhouse.org/index.php
  Contact name at organization: Marilyn Grubb (401) 421-4722

  Big Brothers of RI

Description of grant: Grant funding will support services to at-risk boys through Big Brothers mentoring program. Big Brothers provide one-to-one relationships matching each boy with a role model, who the young man can emulate while growing up and facing the challenges of adolescence. Big Brothers promote the physical, mental and moral welfare of young men.

  Link to website: http://www.bigbrothersri.org/
  Contact name at organization: Val Sinesi (401) 432-9955

  University of Rhode Island - Smiles Program

Description of grant: Funding is directed to SMILE's after-school math and science academic enrichment program for Grades 4 through 12. The mission of the SMILE Program is to increase the number of minority and educationally disadvantage students, who graduate from high school, preparing students to be well qualified to go onto college and pursue careers in science, mathematics, technology and engineering.

  Link to website: http://www.uri.edu/
  Contact name at organization: Carol M. Englander (401) 874-2036

  The Bradford L. Dunn Institute

Description of grant: Monies from award will sponsor the Bradford L. Dunn Institute's free 2-week series of workshops, discussions and seminars addressing learning differences for families and professionals.

  Link to website: http://www.dunninstitute.org/index.html
  Contact name at organization: Halley Lavenstein (401) 751-7049

  RI Foundation of Dentistry for Handicapped

Description of grant: The Donated Dental Services Program promotes access to dental care for elderly, mentally or physically disabled patients of all ages. The support from this grant will help cover the costs associated with running an efficient and effective referral center bringing needed dental care to vulnerable people, regardless of their physical ailments, mental abilities, age, or inability to pay.

  Link to website: http://www.nfdh.org/state/RI.html
  Contact name at organization: Fred Leviton (303) 534-5360

  Wood River Health Services

Description of grant: Funds to provide outreach program through local school districts to children, who are not currently receiving dental care. Dental professionals and assistants will visit schools and provide education and screenings. Support will also defray cost of providing dental care to children who are uninsured. No one will be denied care because of inability to pay. Through expanding capacity, expect to reach 200 more children in 2005.

Contact name at organization: Ernest Balasco (401) 539-2461

The CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust will be accepting applications for 2005 grants from May 1 to June 15, 2005.

For additional information, go to http://www.cvs.com/corpInfo/community/charitable_mission.html.

The CVS Charitable Trust, Inc. is a private foundation managed by CVS Corporation, which operates more than 5,000 CVS/pharmacy stores in 36 states. The Trust's mission is to provide funding for health care, education and community involvement initiatives in communities where CVS stores are located. General information about CVS is available through the Investor Relations portion of the Company's website at http://investor.cvs.com/, or through the website's press room at http://www.cvs.com/pressroom.

  CONTACT:
   Mike DeAngelis
   CVS Corporation
   401-770-2645

SOURCE: CVS/pharmacy Charitable Trust