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Senior Center Food Pantry Opens
SENIOR CENTER FOOD PANTRY OPENS
MIDDLETOWN, RI (APRIL 1, 2026) – The Food Pantry at the Middletown Senior Center is officially open.
Looking to serve the needs of local residents over 60 and Senior Center members, close to 100 people celebrated the ribbon cutting Wednesday morning for the new operation at 654 Green End Ave.
Crediting the Senior Center Board of Directors, volunteers and the community itself, Senior Center Director Arleen Kaull said the food pantry was fulfilling a longtime goal.
The operation will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 am - 2 pm, with a maximum of two visits per month allowed.
“We need to do more for our seniors,” Kaull said, standing outside the pantry under overcast skies. “When you go inside, we think it turned out beautifully and there are so many people to thank for making this day happen.”
Kaull’s brother — Town Council President Paul M. Rodrigues — said unfortunately in today’s world, the margins are tighter than ever before for many residents, including seniors.
Crediting Kaull, her lieutenant Chris Johnson and the volunteers who helped make Wednesday’s event a reality, Rodrigues said the food pantry was another example of Middletowners looking after Middletown.
“I hate to say it, but all of us are one health problem or issue away from a financial crisis,” Rodrigues said. “Every little bit helps and I want to thank the Senior Center for helping our community in need.”
A tour of the facility showed the food pantry was well stocked with every essential item as well as little extras like M&M candies and the like. There was also a healthy supply of food for pets and other basics to help.
Kaull said everyone she’s spoken to has been supportive of the pantry, which was not intended to take away from existing supports, but supplement them as much as possible. The Middletown Rotary Club and Salvation Army of Newport were named specifically for their efforts.
The food pantry is housed in two formerly unused offices in the front of the former Peckham School next to the Senior Center. A good portion of the rest of the old school is occupied by the Thrift Shop at the Middletown Senior Center.
For a number of attendees, Wednesday’s ribbon cutting was like a trip down memory lane. Many shared they went to the school and had fond memories of time spent growing up there.
Kaull said it was great to put another part of the building back into use, particularly for such a worthy and rewarding cause.
“It’s small, but it’s a step forward and we will grow, I have no doubt about that,” Kaull said. “To see how everyone has responded to the food pantry and what we’re trying to do is unbelievable. Everybody needs a little helping hand sometimes.”
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Ribbon
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
Public Affairs Officer
401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.gov
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Student Of The Week -- Avraam Amarant
STUDENT OF THE WEEK:
GAUDET MIDDLE SCHOOL EIGHTH GRADER AVRAAM AMARANT
MIDDLETOWN, RI (MARCH 20, 2026) – In each of the schools across Middletown, there are students doing excellent, noteworthy things. As part of a feature from the town, a different student will be spotlighted for their efforts to make Middletown a special place to live, work and play.
Name: Avraam Amarant
School: Gaudet Middle School
Grade: Eighth
Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Debbie & Leon Amarant
Accomplishment(s): “Avraam goes above and beyond to help out the staff and everyone in class,” Spanish Teacher Michael Goodreau said.
Dream Job: “Becoming a software engineer because my dad is one and I went to his office and it was really cool.”
Favorite Meal: Aquidneck Pizza
Free Time: Video games and sports
Who I Look Up To: “My parents because they always take care of me.”
Best Part Of Middletown: The harbor
Inspirations: Doing my best
Top Hangout: The turf field at Gaudet because I can play sports
Recommended Reading: Anything by Percy Jackson
Best Subject In School: Math
Teacher/Staff Member I’d Like To Thank: Mr. Goodreau
Comment From Teacher/Staff Member: “Avraam is very helpful and someone who makes a big difference in my classroom,” Goodreau said.
Document Link: https://mdl.town/SOW-Avraam-Amarant
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant community located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
Public Affairs Officer
401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.gov
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Middletown Police Department K9s Storm and Tex have received donation of body armor
Middletown Police Department K9s Storm and Tex have received donation of body armor
Middletown Police Department, RI - K9s Storm and Tex have received bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Storm’s vest was sponsored by Karen McMechen of Berlin, CT and embroidered with the sentiment “Gifted by the McMechen Family”. K9 Tex’s vest was sponsored by Sarah Bernardo, Rocco and Cipri of All Pets Crematory & Remembrance, Stamford, CT and embroidered with the sentiment “Born to Love-Trained to Serve-Loyal Always”.
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. This potentially lifesaving body armor for four-legged K9 officers is U.S. made, custom fitted, and National Institute of Justice (NIJ) certified. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has provided over 6,348 vests valued at $6.9 million to K9s in all 50 states, made possible by both private and corporate donations.
The program is open to U.S. dogs at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K9s with expired vests are also eligible to participate. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., accepts tax-deductible contributions in any amount, while a single donation of $1,050 will sponsor one vest. Each vest has a value of $1800.00, weighs an average of 4-5 lbs., and comes with a five-year warranty. For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call (508) 824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts donations at www.vik9s.org, or you may mail your contribution to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718.
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Getting On Top Of The Situation
GETTING ON TOP OF THE SITUATION
MIDDLETOWN, RI (MARCH 16, 2026) – Every Wednesday morning, a group comes together in the meeting room of the Fire Station on Wyatt Road.
Middletown and Newport police officers, firefighters, municipal officials and multiple social service providers are represented.
Before the doors to the brick and glass lined space are closed, everyone is reminded they must complete a nondisclosure agreement, where they pledge not to reveal any of the confidential information discussed inside.
After brief introductions, The Situation Table gets down to the business of helping.
They move efficiently through each case, determining who’s assisting, what more can be done for the person in need and other approaches that could yield results.
The goal is to provide guardrails and care as much as possible in hopes that none of the individuals discussed wind up in crisis or catastrophe.
So far, the time, energy and compassion are yielding positive results in an area that can be extremely difficult on success stories.
“The thing that first drew me to The Situation Table idea was an ability for things our firefighters are seeing the field was a way to report that up to get help to people,” said Newport Fire Department Deputy Chief Michael Ferreira, who’s taken the lead role with the organization. “I’ve seen that that’s really working. The interoperability between all the resources we have in the community between Newport and Middletown are working better together than they ever have as a result.”
To watch a video about The Situation Table, visit https://mdl.town/Situation online.
Like most things government, The Situation Table didn’t come together overnight.
After a Department of Public Works employee spotted a person outside in the rain with all their belongings and brought the matter to the attention of his co-workers in the summer of 2023, Middletown officials looked into the man’s story.
Thankfully, he received the support he needed that day through the Middletown Outreach Department and others -- including temporary housing.
What became clear was several organizations and providers were familiar with him, but none had the complete picture, making care and coordinating next steps difficult.
With emergency and social service providers having similar experiences in Newport, both communities agreed to pay for training that could bring everyone to the same table.
During training sessions led by consultants Cordata at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) Newport campus, the realization was the partnership between Middletown, Newport and a number of social service agencies could work.
Meeting since January 2025, The Situation Table recently passed its one-year anniversary and shows no signs of letting up.
The data indicates the group has addressed 100 “situations” -- or individual cases -- to date, assisting more than 120 people.
Some deal with unhoused individuals, others involving older adults with health needs, those with self-care concerns and more. No two cases are the same or require the same solutions. The data shows on average, there are five “risk” factors involved per “situation.”
About 80 percent of the “situations” are referred to the group by local emergency service providers. The remainder filter through social service agencies, who are in regular contact with various people in need.
In addition to the Middletown and Newport Fire and Police departments as well as the Middletown Outreach Department, the following organizations have a regular seat at The Situation Table:
- Child & Family Services of Newport County
- CODAC Behavioral Healthcare
- Conexion Latina
- Crisis Intervention Teams of Rhode Island
- East Bay Recovery Center offered through the East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP)
- The Edward King House
- Family Service Of Rhode Island
- Healthy Living In Recovery
- The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center
- Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island
- Newport Health Equity Zone
- Newport Hospital
- Newport Housing Hotline
- Newport Mental Health
- No Wrong Door Behavioral Health
- The Ocean State Trauma-Informed Community Coalition (OSTICC)
- The Salvation Army
- Turning Around Ministries
As word has spread, Middletown Director of Community Engagement & Partnerships Lori Turner said more community providers are looking to get involved to find ways to help their populations.
Just last week, a new face arrived at a Situation Table meeting, representing a local elderly care facility, she said. Recently hired to a new job, the elderly care provider found Turner’s business card and sought assistance for several clients in her nonprofit’s care.
“I’m really grateful for our first responders from Middletown and Newport and our community partners and nonprofits that have made this Situation Table possible,” said Turner, who serves as the lead liaison from Middletown to the group. “Without their support and continued involvement and collaboration this Table and our residents wouldn’t be getting the help they need.”
She thanked Ferreira specifically for his leadership and helping push The Situation Table to the fore.
“I want to recognize Deputy Chief Mike Ferreira from the Newport Fire Department,” Turner said. “His leadership has been instrumental in making this collaboration possible. Working with him has been seamless as we’ve brought our two communities together. We work in tandem with the Table’s data recorders, Sean Palumbo of No Wrong Door Behavioral Health and Carmela Geer of the Edward King House Senior Center. Ultimately, it’s the commitment of everyone around the table that makes this work.”
Rogers High School Senior Isaiah Montevirgen said the Wednesday meeting was the first time he’d ever heard of The Situation Table. Doing an internship with the Newport Police Department, Isaiah said he was thoroughly impressed with what he saw and experienced.
“I thought it was pretty special,” Isaiah said. “To know there are so many people coming together around one table to talk about people who need help, I’m surprised, in a good way.”
Considering a career in law enforcement, Isaiah said he’s done a ride along with an officer across the City-By-The-Sea and other experiences to get a better feel for the job.
“Honestly, I always wondered what (communities) did about the homeless and other ‘at risk’ people,” Isaiah said. “I’m happy to know we’re doing this here and getting them the help they need.”
Moving forward, those involved said in addition to getting people help, they hoped The Situation Table drew even more attention to the need that exists in Middletown, Newport and beyond.
“I think this is an excellent idea where a collection of support services meet weekly to address a common goal — safe, sound and secure housing,” said Jimmy Winters, founder of the Newport Housing Hotline. “These agencies work diligently to make sure everyone is housed and each week, case after case is brought up and we address these problems."
“This group has changed lives, I can say that with all honesty,” said Heather Hole Strout, executive director of the MLK Center. “Working together with dozens of other nonprofits, civic leaders, municipal police and fire departments has made such a huge difference in being able to talk about and help people who are in crisis week after week.”
“The Situation Table, in my eyes, as well as our organizations, have helped significantly with partner relationships and collaborations across the island,” Palumbo said. “I’ve only been working here professionally for about a year and a half, but in my time here, working with The Situation Table, has really helped me connect out with other organizations and be able to bring resources to our residents.”
“This program is a really good program and it’s life changing for some people,” Middletown Police Lt. Joanne Alboum said. “I think it’s saved some lives…and it’s changed a lot of lives. You have to actively work this program though. We have to get out there and keep track of people and fill in the gaps for them for some of the services they need. That’s what we’re doing, we’re filling gaps and they’re very important gaps. They’re very important gaps because some people fall through the cracks for various reasons.”
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-100
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
Public Affairs Officer
401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.gov
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Offseason Effort Upcoming To Preserve Second Beach
OFFSEASON EFFORT UPCOMING TO PRESERVE SECOND BEACH
MIDDLETOWN, RI (OCTOBER 15, 2025) – Temporary snow fencing will be installed in coming weeks across several paths at Second Beach.
Beach Manager Michael McGourty said the movable fencing will be put in at Paths 2, 3, 6 and 7 and remain in place for the off season before it’s removed well before Summer 2026.
However, he said the most used walkways to the beach — Paths 1 and 8 as well as the large gap in front of the beach pavilion, which includes Paths 4 and 5 — will remain open throughout the upcoming fall, winter and spring.
McGourty said the goal of the effort is to gather and save as much sand as possible as well as build sand reserves in the way of dunes to help naturally preserve the beach at 315 Sachuest Point Road.
“We know how important the beach is to everybody and we wanted to get the word out about what is going on,” McGourty said. “We’ve tried different techniques to help keep as much sand on the beach as we can and this is one that was recommended to us recently by a group of beach preservation experts.”
In March, the town’s volunteer Beach Commission received a report from Coastal Systems Research & Planning that outlined several steps the community could take to help preserve Second Beach.
Among the options recommended by the Cherry Hill, New Jersey environmental firm was doing whatever possible to keep sand on the beach and not removing rocks.
They also suggested limiting the dune cuts in the offseason to help collect sand better over the seven-plus month when the beach wasn’t actively used as much.
The Coastal Systems Research study came about after a particularly rough winter 2023 and spring 2024, when significant amounts of sand were stripped naturally from the beach by heavy wave action. That issue was not a problem going into Summer 2025.
To read a report on the findings of Coastal Systems Research, go to https://mdl.town/NYCU-Preserve online.
Hearing the results of the Coastal Systems Research study, McGourty said the beach team opted to try beach fencing across several of the pathways.
In the past, such fencing has been placed around many of the pathways and has helped, he said.
“It’s actually quite fascinating to watch what the sand does and why,” McGourty said. “People assume that it stacks up in front of the fencing, but it seems to be very effective in capturing sand behind it too. It all depends on how the wind is blowing and a number of other factors.”
Facilities & Operations Manager Will Cronin said the Beach Commission has been clear it wants to do whatever reasonably possible to preserve Second Beach and the fencing switch seemed like a good idea.
Longterm, Cronin said there were no plans to eliminate any of the existing pathways onto the beach permanently.
“Last summer was outstanding for us, but we saw what can happen from 2023-24, so we want to be as proactive as we can here,” Cronin said. “Everyone will still have access to the beach and the fencing seems like a low cost, potentially high reward solution.”
Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Beach-Fence
About Middletown
The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.
Media Contact
Matt Sheley
Public Affairs Officer
401-842-6543
msheley@middletownri.gov