Opinion/Ciampi and Baudouin: No pandemic pause for Providence Promise families
Madalyn Ciampi and Daniel Baudouin
Guest columnists
Madalyn Ciampi is executive director of Providence Promise, and Daniel Baudouin is chair.
COVID-19’s harshest blows have landed on low-income people and people of color everywhere, including in Providence. The pandemic’s toll on health, work and family finances is daunting, especially for parents with aspirations for their children. But there is a silver lining: some of the most challenged families are expanding their kids’ college savings.
During the pandemic, the Providence Promise college savings program added over 100 children from the city’s public schools, boosting participation to 429 students from more than 200 families. The youngest enrollee is four months old and the oldest are high school seniors who have begun receiving college acceptance letters.