December 2020 News 1

December 2020--Some much needed relief came to Hearthside as the year ended with the receipt of a grant to help support the cost of operations. The RI Commerce Corporation awarded a $4,800 grant that helped to cover the cost of insurance and the purchase of supplies needed for keeping guests and volunteers safe during visits to Hearthside.

In May, the RI Council for the Humanities had provided a $2,000 grant that was used to beautify the grounds for outdoor programming along with materials to build a movie screen for the outdoor movie series, and printed materials for exterior tours at Hearthside and the Great Road Heritage Campus.

A loss of 80% of Hearthside's revenue this past year due to event cancellations and loss of membership dollars has greatly impacted the organization. "These grants are a welcome relief to cover some of the unexpected bills we had, plus the necessary insurance to ensure that we had adequate coverage for the organization," stated Kathy Hartley, president.