Message From The CEO

Welcome to the Tri-Town Community Action Agency Website! We hope our new format will provide easy access to services, resources and programs which are designed to assist those in need by helping people and changing lives. Tri- Town was established in 1964, under President Johnson’s “War on Poverty.” As a Community Action Agency, Tri-Town has grown from a small non-profit private corporation to a large and highly diverse organization. From the beginning of my career at Tri-Town starting in 1973 as a Community Organizer and Planning Director, to my current position as CEO since 1980, I have had the distinct honor to work on behalf of the people we serve across all life cycles, while experiencing extreme growth in services and programs delivered. We have forged new partnerships and strengthened existing ones throughout the community to enhance and increase access to critically needed resources. With increased diversity in programs and funding streams, Tri-Town’s annual budget was over $15 million dollars in 2010, serving over 18, 200 low-moderate income families; disabled adults; senior’s, children and youth. The Mission of the Agency is:

“ To provide accessible, quality, and comprehensive social, educational, health, prevention and other services to people in need, while empowering them to achieve the highest possible level of self-sufficiency and quality of life.”

We are here to help individuals and families with a wide range of programs and services including education, employment and training; health care; behavioral health, senior services; energy assistance; emergency services; food and nutrition programs; WIC; Early and Basic Head Start; and Youth Prevention Programs to name a few.

We hope that you will have the opportunity to utilize our new website to locate the many services and programs we offer, either directly or through our many partnerships with other local and state agencies and organizations. The majority of our programs are for the residents in the towns of Johnston, North Providence, Smithfield, North Smithfield, Burrillville, and Glocester. However, we do provide other specific services in every city and town throughout the State of Rhode Island.

Again, we invite you to browse this website to best utilize the information available on the wide variety of programs and services we offer. On behalf of our Board of Directors, and all of us at the Tri-Town Community Action Agency, we look forward to the opportunity to be of service to you and your family.


Best Regards,

Joseph R. DeSantis
Chief Executive Officer