Honoring a life-long Rhode Islander by supporting the state he loved

Bridget Baratta, vice president of development

When Michelle Maynard’s father died in July 2022 at age 96, she was looking for a way to honor him. She read about the Fund for Rhode Island and it seemed like a good fit, so she mentioned it to her family. “What about giving money to the Rhode Island Foundation in honor of Robert?” One of the family members responded that the Foundation had done a lot of work for the community during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that sounded to Michelle like something her dad would support. The decision was made and Robert’s obituary concluded with:

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes contributions in Robert’s memory to the Rhode Island Foundation’s Fund for Rhode Island.

Eight contributions were made to the Fund in memory of Robert.

Michelle shares this about her father: Robert Maynard was from West Warwick; he married Cecelia Rutkowski in his 30s, and was married for 59 years until Cecilia predeceased him in 2020. They raised their one child, Michelle, in Riverside. He was in World War II, followed by the reserves and the Korean War. Robert, a graduate of Providence College, worked at Old Stone Bank—the gold dome on South Main Street—for 40 years where he became branch manager. He had a membership at the Philharmonic. He did volunteer tax prep for AARP. “Basically, Dad had lots of interests, but one thing was for sure—he was proud to be a lifelong Rhode Islander.”

The world certainly changed during Robert’s lifetime, and the needs of Rhode Island changed with it.

Though we are small in size, our problems are sometimes large. For any one individual or family, they can seem insurmountable—unemployment, lack of affordable housing, inadequate health care, and food insecurity. That’s why the Rhode Island Foundation focuses on the levers of change that we believe will advance our three strategic priorities—improving economic, educational, and health outcomes for all Rhode Islanders.

A gift to the Fund for Rhode Island puts you in the company of thousands of donors who have entrusted the Foundation to make discretionary investments for the benefit of all Rhode Islanders. There are many ways to give. We'll work with you, or your advisor, to determine the simplest and best way to make your philanthropic wishes a reality, offering flexibility, sound investments, expertise, permanence, and tax benefits.

“I support the Fund for Rhode Island and have for many years,” says Bhikhaji Maneckji. “I trust the Foundation to make the right choices with my gift. They have done so in the past, and I know they will continue to do so in the future. Please give to the Fund for Rhode Island.”

There will always be need, but it is impossible to know exactly what form it will take in the future and what the best approaches to meeting it may be. In order to create true transformation, we must raise up issues of equity, address the social determinants that produce disparate outcomes, and nurture a culture of civic engagement and philanthropy. No matter how, why, or how much you give, you become part of a powerful force for good in our community, supporting innovative and effective ways to forever meet emerging challenges. Join us as we work together to meet the needs of the people of Rhode Island—we're here to help you give well.