The Community Action Department proudly engages residents of neighborhoods in the lower Woonasquatucket River Watershed through bilingual (English and Spanish) leadership programs for adults of all backgrounds and free, family-friendly events that foster connection and community pride.  

We believe that every decision — big or small — affecting the Woonasquatucket River should be transparent and guided by the voices of those who live, work, and play throughout the watershed. In partnership with the Olneyville Resilience Hub and community partners, we’re excited to create spaces for learning, collaboration, and collective advocacy!

To learn more about the Community Action Department and all our different programs, please contact our department director: David Morales.

Nuevas Voces

Nuevas Voces (otherwise known as ‘New Voices’ in English) is our 10-month bilingual advocacy program focused on empowering neighbors within our Providence community to become local leaders by fostering a deep understanding of environmental science and community advocacy. By combining classroom learning with hands-on site visits, students learn about a range of issues related to public health, environmental science, flooding, transportation, toxic exposures, wastewater treatment, local/state government, community organizing, and more! Alongside guest lecturers, our classes are led by a team of Co-Facilitators, María José Gutiérrez and Sayda Arriaza, both of whom are alumni of Nuevas Voces.  

To remove barriers for participation, we offer all our students a stipend for each class, free meals, and childcare. All sessions are bilingual and take place during evenings and weekends to accommodate working families. Since 2020, more than 50 residents have graduated from Nuevas Voces — many of whom now play an active role in shaping local projects, policies, and programs that directly impact their neighborhoods. Our alumni continue to lead and serve across Providence as board members, staff, and volunteers in a wide range of community-driven initiatives, including: the Nine Neighborhood Fund’s Participatory Budgeting Initiative, the Olneyville Neighborhood Association, the Urban Growers Leadership Program, ONE Neighborhood Builder’s Resident Advisory Committee, the Providence School Board, the Joslin Community Garden Committee, the PVD Tree Plan, and more!  

To learn more about Nuevas Voces and details of our next cohort, please contact our department director: David Morales. 

Campeones del Combate Climático

Campeones del Combate Climático is an 18-month advanced leadership program for graduates of Nuevas Voces who are eager to deepen their environmental knowledge and continue leading change in their communities. 

Focused on flooding, stormwater management, and green infrastructure, residents are provided with an in-depth education and hands-on experience through classroom sessions, site visits, and co-governance opportunities around local infrastructure projects. Throughout the program, Campeones work alongside stormwater experts, city engineers, and urban planners to identify and help implement green infrastructure projects in their own neighborhoods. They follow each project from planning and design through construction and community engagement—gaining valuable insight into how environmental projects take shape and how resident voices can influence outcomes. Specific projects that Campeones have contributed to include flood mitigation infrastructure on San Souci Drive and DeSoto Street!  

To learn more about Campeones del Combate Climático, please contact our department director: David Morales. 

Olneyville Resilience Hub

The Olneyville Resilience Hub is a community space dedicated to serving neighbors through a wide range of educational programming, the distribution of free resources, and open access to the space as a warming/cooling center during days of extreme temperatures. Located at 17 Hyat Street in Providence, the Hub officially opened its doors in 2024 through collaboration with WRWC, Providence’s Departments of Sustainability and Recreation, the Olneyville Neighborhood Association, and Providence Emergency Management Agency. 

Since its launch, the Hub has welcomed hundreds of community members for a series of community programs, such as English Classes offered by Community Libraries of Providence, Language Exchange Nights with the Coalition for a Multilingual RI, CCAP Agency Office Hours, and Safety Workshops with the Providence Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). The Hub also distributed more than 1,000 lead water filters to residents of 02908 and 02909 as part of the Nine Neighborhood Fund’s 2024 Lead-Free Initiative.

To learn more about the Olneyville Resilience Hub and learn how you can host a community event at the Hub, please send an email to: OVResHub@wrwc.org  

Monthly Speaker’s Programs

Each month, on a Wednesday evening, the Community Action Department partners with local organizations to host a bilingual “Speaker’s Program” — an open community meeting where neighbors can learn about local resources and connect with community organizations!  

Past Speaker’s Programs have included: a Lead-Safety Workshop with the Childhood Lead Action Project, an Introduction to Composting with Zero Waste Providence, an Overview of Waste Management in Providence with the Department of Public Works, a Winter Weather Preparedness Workshop with the Providence Emergency Management Agency, and many more!  

To join one of our Speaker’s Program, visit our events calendar! If your organization would like to host a Speaker’s Program, contact David Morales.

Neighborhood Gardens

WRWC’s Community Action Department has played a key role in the development of two neighborhood garden projects: 

In June of 2024, in collaboration with Olneyville neighbors, TerraCorps members of WRWC planted a Community Pollinator Garden at Donigian Park. Featuring five raised garden beds composed of perennial plants native to Rhode Island, Donigian Park was selected as the location for the garden based on feedback from Olneyville community members. Throughout the summer and fall, the Community Pollinator Garden hosts a series of bilingual community programs, such as native pollinator gardening education, bee surveying, rock painting, water barrel preparation, trash cleanups, and community bulb plantings.    

Located next to the Joslin Recreation Center, the Olneyville Resilience Hub, and William D’Abate Elementary School, the Joslin Community Garden is a vital community resource! It provides community members in Olneyville with space for connection and opportunities to learn about sustainable garden practices. The Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council is excited to support more than 20 gardeners in the revitalization, maintenance, and development of the Joslin Community Garden throughout the Spring of 2025.  

If you or a neighbor you know is interested in helping out at volunteer days or learning more about our gardening efforts, please contact Nicole Wright.

VECINA

Designed in collaboration with Nuevas Voces Alumni Jenny Mercado and María José Gutiérrez, the RIOS Insitute, the National Science Foundation, and the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics – VECINA (Visualizing Environmental and Community Information for Neighborhood Advocacy) is a bilingual tool designed to help neighbors navigate resources related to K-12 education and healthcare. Support includes access to a neighborhood map that highlights details of each public school in Providence, such as the availability of dual language programming, test scores, and the enrollment process. For healthcare, there is a neighborhood map that highlights local medical facilities, such as hospitals, and the healthcare services offered.  

To learn more about VECINA and use the tool yourself, you can visit their webpage here: vecina.wrwc.org