Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence

Come to Invest in Peace! Tickets, Ads and Sponsorships Available Here

Learn about Invest in Peace and benefits of supporting the Institute through these links.
Invest in Peace Brochure
Letter from the Committee Chairs

To purchase tickets:

Pricing Levels

Guest $45.00 Patron (listed in program) $100.00

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Quarter Page $100.00 Half Page $225.00 Full Page $425.00 Full Page + Donation $500.00

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AFP-RI Names the Institute Outstanding Philanthropic Organization of 2009

The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence has been selected as the 2009 Outstanding Philanthropic Organization by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.  The award will be given at Rhode Island's National Philanthropy Day luncheon on Tuesday, November 24 at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

The Institute is in the company of impressive individuals and organizations who are this year’s National Philanthropy Day Community Award recipients.

Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, Outstanding Philanthropic Organization

Presented to a civic or service organization or foundation which has demonstrated a significant commitment to the community over above what might normally be expected. 

New Institute newsletter - "straight talk"

View or download the PDF here (344K)

Campaign for Peace Party

Campaign for Peace Party

Wednesday, March 18, 2009
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon
52 Pine Street, Providence, RI 02903

· We need you to help save kids lives ·
We ask you to make a gift to help restore the
Institute's new home at 265 Oxford St. and be a part of
building an international headquarters for nonviolence.

· We need you to help us reach our goal! ·
Please come prepared to make a commitment
to this important project.

To RSVP to this event, please contact
Camila Crews, Director of Development at 401-785-2320
or via email: camila@nonviolenceinstitute.org

****Complimentary appetizers will be served****

Read the Providence Journal (March 2, 2009) article to learn more about the Campaign for Peace.

FaceBook users, the event is here.

Providence Journal on our future home

See the article on ProJo's website here, including a video.

A decrepit South Providence convent will be transformed into The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence

07:41 AM EST on Monday, March 2, 2009
By Philip Marcelo
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- A temporary chain-link fence, now weatherbeaten and rusting in places, surrounds the red-brick building to keep out vandals, who have still managed to tag a few windows with bright orange paintball pellets and shatter at least one pane.

Nearly 70 years ago, the South Providence building was erected as a convent, a home for the teaching nuns of St. Michael the Archangel Church. For the last eight years it has sat vacant and decaying.

Institute awarded $352,000 in federal appropriations

A warm thank you to US Representatives Patrick Kennedy and James Langevin!

A curb on street violence
Providence Journal
By W. Zachary Malinowski
Journal Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 25, 2008

PROVIDENCE — Sal Monteiro Jr., a streetworker at the Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence, had a simple message yesterday for the bankers, educators, police officers, politicians and social workers who gathered at the South Side Recreation Center.

“Nonviolence is not for cowards,” he said. “It’s for courageous people. We are a small group, but we are committed.”

Monteiro was one of several speakers at yesterday’s announcement that the nonprofit agency had received $352,000 in federal appropriations to continue its battle against gang violence and help troubled youth in some of the city’s worst neighborhoods.

U.S. Representatives Patrick Kennedy and James Langevin were both on hand to praise the institute and the streetworkers.

Institute selected as Citizens Bank "Champion in Action"

text from Citizens Bank website:

Get involved in your community by helping those who are already making a difference.

Our Champions in Action* are shining examples of dedication and determination in community outreach. And they look to community members, like you, to come forward and lend a hand.

The Institute’s Streetworkers respond 24/7 to help teenagers and residents prevent and deal with conflict peacefully. The Institute’s Summer Jobs Program provides training and personal mentoring for inner-city teenagers during the most dangerous summer months. To date, more than 35 organizations have provided jobs and training to nearly 200 high school youth. Through the Nonviolence Training Program, The Institute has successfully trained 5,000 children in Cranston, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Woonsocket and Providence to use nonviolence practices. 

What you can do to help

• Make a donation -- Citizens Bank customers can make a tax-deductible contribution through Online Bill Payment available with Citizens Bank Online®. You can also send your contribution directly to The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence at the address below.
• Volunteer -- Volunteers are an important part of The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence.
• Learn more -- Tune into NBC 10 or contact the The Institute for the Study and Practice.

*Formerly Community Champions

Lifespan: supporting our Streetworkers' health and our work

from Lifespan's 2006 Annual Report (emphasis added by us):

THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY AND PRACTICE OF NONVIOLENCE
Ending Violence, Vendettas and Vengeance

There are roughly forty people in the emergency department who are anticipating news about a gunshot victim. Most are family and friends, but some are rival gang members. The atmosphere is tense.

The medical team is working to save the teenager’s life. Social workers are doing their best to comfort the family. Security is trying to calm the agitated crowd. Then, a small group of young adults enters the building. At that moment, the crowd visibly relaxes. The streetworkers have arrived.

Institute, Providence PD win MetLife Community-Police Partnership Award

Read the official announcement here.

below, coverage from Providence Business News:

PROVIDENCE – In a ceremony this morning at Riverside Park in Olneyville, the MetLife Foundation honored three city organizations for their success in reducing crime. U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Mayor David N. Cicilline and MetLife Vice President Michael Convery were among those on hand for the 10 a.m. presentation of two MetLife Foundation Community-Police Partnership Awards.

• The Olneyville Housing Corporation and the Providence Police Department shared a $25,000 first-place Neighborhood Revitalization Award, for helping turn around the Olneyville neighborhood by acquiring vacant land and “nuisance” properties and replacing them with attractive, affordable housing. “These efforts have resulted in 51 new affordable homes and a 70-percent reduction in crime around targeted properties,” the MetLife Foundation said.

“There are a lot of people and organizations in Olneyville working toward building a healthy neighborhood that provides everything a family needs to be successful,” Frank Shea, executive director of Olneyville Housing, said in a statement. “Every day, the Providence Police Department is a key partner in this work. We appreciate the MetLife Foundation for recognizing and supporting our efforts.”

• The Institute for Study & Practice of Nonviolence received a $15,000 award in a “Special Strategy” Gang Prevention and Youth Safety category for its “Streetworkers” program, which trains young people to mediate gang conflicts and intervene in neighborhood crises. The streetworkers – who include former gang members – seek to teach nonviolence, by word and example, and reconnect local youths with their schools and families.

Providence Journal: Summer jobs can help steer youths away from violence

Sunday, May 13, 2007
By Andy Smith
Journal Staff Writer


PROVIDENCE — The Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence, based in Providence, plans to provide 60 summer jobs for Providence youths as part of its Beloved Community Summer Jobs Program this year, up from 45 jobs last year.

What’s the connection between employment and nonviolence?

P.J. Fox, operations manager for the Institute, said employment is an effective way to reduce violence.

An April 10 letter sent to members of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce asking for support, signed by Providence Police Chief Dean Esserman and Teny Gross, executive director of the institute, said that statistics show July and August are the most dangerous months for a young person in Providence.

Job Opening: Director of Development

NOTE: This position has since been filled.

The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence
Director of Development

The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence’s mission is to teach by word and example the principles and practices of nonviolence and to foster a community that addresses potentially violent situations with nonviolent solutions.

The Institute for Nonviolence seeks an experienced professional to be responsible for raising philanthropic funds for the organization’s operating and program objectives.  This newly created position affords the Director of Development the opportunity to establish a sound, ethical and proficient fundraising infrastructure for the five-year-old Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence.

Violent crime falls sharply in Providence

Violent crime falls sharply in Providence
01:00 AM EST on Sunday, January 21, 2007
By Gregory Smith

Journal Staff Writer
PROVIDENCE — With a crew of streetworkers calming gang feuds and a gun task force invading criminal haunts, the frequency of murder has fallen to a historic low in Rhode Island’s capital city.

The number of slayings fell by half last year and violent crime overall declined sharply, Police Chief Dean M. Esserman said, as improved law enforcement strategy and tactics such as the streetworkers and gun task force had a cumulative effect.

While 22 people were killed in 2005, that fell to 11 in 2006, which Esserman said last week is the fewest in 31 years.

New windows installed in our future home

Across the street from St. Michael's Church and Rectory (current offices of the Institute), sits the former Convent, the future home of the Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence. Once renovated, this will host our offices, training rooms and youth activity space.

New windows were installed in late August 2006 - a major step in protecting the building from the elements.

Major donors are encouraged to contact us. Make your mark - and leave a lasting legacy for peace and youth in Rhode Island.

Click here to see more pictures.

Providence Journal: A plea to turn mean streets into a 'beloved community'

Edwatch by Julia Steiny: A plea to turn mean streets into a 'beloved community'

Sunday, July 9, 2006
Providence Journal

According to Teny Gross, "Boston has 11,000 summer jobs for kids. D.C. has 11,000. Providence has maybe 400, and 37 of them are ours."

By "ours," Gross means jobs offered by the agency he directs, the Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence. The institute focuses much of its effort on urban youth, and summer is a volatile time for high-energy teens. Gross, the institute's executive director, all but gloats over a report by the Justice Policy Institute that found a direct correlation between unemployment rates and incidents of violent crime and juvenile justice referrals. In short, summer jobs reduce street crime.

Providence Journal: Businesses urged to give jobs to youths

Businesses urged to give jobs to youths, providing alternative to violence
City officials and a group dedicated to nonviolence say meaningful work for youths this summer can curb gang activities.

Thursday, July 6, 2006
Providence Journal

BY LINDA BORG
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- Police Chief Dean M. Esserman said the best way an American police chief can protect children is to invest in them, not arrest them.

At a news conference yesterday aimed at hiring teenagers for summer jobs, Esserman, who is recovering from colon cancer, told the gathering that he routinely asks groups of children, "Who loves you?"

Mayor, Chief: Employers can prevent violence with summer jobs

July 5, 2006     For Immediate Release

Contact:
PJ Fox, Operations Manager, Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence (491) 837-2308
Rhoades Alderson, Communications Director, City of Providence (401) 421-2489 ext. 226
                      

MAYOR, CHIEF ESSERMAN, STREET WORKERS ASK EMPLOYERS TO PREVENT YOUTH VIOLENCE WITH SUMMER JOBS

Group calls for direct employment or sponsorship of the “Beloved Community” Summer Jobs Institute; praises Aramark for leadership

PROVIDENCE – Mayor David N. Cicilline, Police Chief Dean Esserman, Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence Executive Director Teny Gross, Aramark General Manager of Education for Providence Tony Malagrino and Providence youth called on the business community to help prevent youth violence this summer by providing summer jobs. The group encouraged employers to sponsor the “Beloved Community” Summer Jobs Institute aimed at curbing violence or to employ at-risk young people directly.

That Blasted Party! raises over $10,000 for The Institute

That Blasted Party! (September 27) was a great success!  Several hundred friends and supporters from around the state enjoyed an evening of dancing, desserts, and a silent auction.  The lively music from the Lonnie Gasperini Organ Quintet, with vocalist Lavern Sims, created a vibrant atmosphere for the elegant Roger Williams Park Casino.  Amidst the bidding and mingling, Mayor Cicilline shared words of inspiration, encouraging the community to stay committed to the mission and work of The Institute.  By the end of the evening, The Institute had raised over $10,000 to support all annual programs.

The Institute extends special thanks to the following supporters, without whom this event could not have happened:

•    Honorary Co-Chairs: Carla DeStefano & Richard Godfrey

Sponsors:
•    BankRI
•    Blooming Mad!
•    Casserta’s Pizzeria
•    Catskills Mt. Coffee Company
•    Hinckley, Allen, Snyder LLP
•    Johansenn’s Bakery
•    Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Care Workers
•    Rodio Ursillo, LTD
•    Sodexho Marriott
•    The Beacon Mutual Insurance Company
•    Timothy S. Hopkins Catering
•    Trinity Brewhouse

It’s happening… THAT BLASTED PARTY!

A fundraiser for the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence

Come Celebrate…
 
Silent Auction           Live Band            Desserts                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
September 27th, 2005                                                                            
Roger Williams Park Casino
5:30 pm-9:30 pm                                                                                      

Advanced tickets: $20 per person or two for $35
Students $7                               

At the door: $25 per person                                   

RSVP by September 20th, 2005

Phone: 401-785-2320
Email: rsvp@nonviolenceinstitute.org

click here to add to your calendar (Outlook for Windows, iCal for Macintosh. If the ".ics" file downloads to your computer, just double-click it to add to your calendar.)

Institute receives $99,200 federal grant for Street Workers

from the Providence Journal:

Nonviolence group receives $99,200
Friday, July 22, 2005

PROVIDENCE -- Nonviolence group receives $99,200.  The Institute for the Study and Practice of Non-Violence has received a federal grant for its street-worker program.

The street workers assist the police in dealing with violent situations in the city's neighborhoods. They work with young people who have dropped out of school and try to get them back into the education system. They also help students deal with situations that could result in dropping out.

The $99,200 grant, from the Department of Health and Human Services, was announced by U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee.

"Groups such as tbe Institute for the Study and Practice of Non-Violence are critical to supplement the responsibilities of our cities' police officers," Chafee said. ". . . With the trust and endorsement of the police, the street-worker project has flourished and been recognized as a contributing factor in the reduction of violence."

Birthday celebration raises over $2,000 for Institute

July 16 - Institute Executive Director Teny Gross is turning 40, thus his wife Julia Clinker, Insititute staff and friends threw a surprise party at the Davey Lopes Recreation Center. The event celebrated the work of the Institute and the cause of nonviolence, as friends of the Institute, staff, volunteers and neighborhood kids enjoyed the sun,  food, entertainers, face painting and the pool.

Attendees were asked to contribute in multiples of 4: 4 dollars, 40 dollars, 400 dollars. We raised over $2,000 to support the general operations of the Institute.

Thanks to everyone who attended and contributed, financially and in organizing this event.

The Institute's summer youth employment program needs your support

The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence (ISPN) is offering summer employment opportunities to neighborhood youth and we need your help. Through our Beloved Community Summer Program, we supply jobs for 30 young people. So far, we have raised $30,695, enough money to offer our program to 20 youth, and we are asking you and other members of the community to help us find additional funding to reach our goal of 30 participants.

'Nonviolence Institute: An ambitious example of peace inside and out'

The Cranston Herald
12/19/2002
By JOY FOX

The rain mixed with snow and sleet. The wind chill dropped the temperature to around 20 degrees. The intersection of Oxford Street and Gordon Avenue in South Providence was flooded with deep brown water. People were smiling and applauding. Teny O. Gross described the scene as symbolic.