Warren HEZ
Who We Are
Established in July 2021, the Warren HEZ is a place-based collaborative created to reduce and eliminate barriers to health and wellness. The Rhode Island Department of Health provides seed funding for the Warren HEZ which is supported by East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP) as its backbone agency.
Community-Driven
Warren HEZ is a resident-led effort and is seeking neighbors and professionals to build work plans and groups. Our current focus areas are:
- Food systems
- Housing that is affordable
- Behavioral health/substance use
- Safety through a transportation lens
- Supporting families of children and young adults
A Steering Committee that represents the makeup of the community, including residents, community organizations and town supports, will lead the Warren HEZ.
Connect & Collaborate
The HEZ model encourages and prepares neighbors and community partners to collaborate to create healthy places for people to live, learn, work, and play. Our goal for the community is that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be their healthiest. Learn more about our work and priorities below.
The HEZ has an active Steering Committee and three priority areas, with two cross-cutting goals of incorporating more Behavioral Health Supports and supporting families with young children within each priority.
Housing & Lack of Housing: In the recent Warren Housing Production Plan by Weson & Sampson, “the median household income for Warren homeowners is $113,163 while the median income for Warren renters is $39,313, the lowest median income for renters in the region. In Warren, 10% of owners and 20% of renters have a cost burden between 30-50% of their income. Nine percent of owners and 22% of renters have a cost burden that is more than half their income, making them severely cost-burdened.” There are 38% of households in Rhode Island considered food insecure. (RI Community Food Bank, 2024 Status Report).
HEZ partners to address these conditions by serving on the Affordable Housing Task Force Committee, working to expand perspectives so they may include the community’s expressed needs and the current data. The Housing priority intersects with concerns and actions underway to manage the impact of flooding, extreme weather, and sea level rise, such as the Town’s Market to Metacom plan. HEZ has formed relationships with the Senior Center, Food Pantry, and Library, locations where the majority of residents and visitors to the town who are in urgent need request help to maintain or to find secure shelter.
Food Insecurity: Warren is a Low Income/Low Access town as residents are more than 1/2 mile from an affordable food source, previously called a Food Desert. Participation at the local St. Mary of the Bay food pantry has increased dramatically, due in part to the discontinuation of COVID-19 nutrition related benefits. Local pantry data points to a rise in need from families with school age children. In response, Bristol and Warren HEZs maintain a regional working group of Community and School-Based Pantries, Town Social Service Directors, Free Frozen Meal Distributors, and Farmer’s Markets. HEZ provides weekly outreach and support to residents and visitors, and targets the Senior Center/ Housing Authority, and shoppers at Warren’s local church-based pantry due to the high number of residents who frequent these locations.
Safe Biking/Walking, Emergency Response & Community Resilience: Urgent challenges face Warren due to extreme weather, rising waters, and the impact of increased heat and environmental degradation. At particular risk is Warren’s low-lying Market Street neighborhood, an area dense in moderately priced rentals and residents who rely on public transportation. Increased flooding and the threat of the community’s life proposed by its projected inundation is being addressed by the Town, and a planned retreat is part of the updated Comprehensive Plan. HEZ supports residents by equipping them with tools and confidence to actively participate in how to manage emergencies such as extreme heat that could be improved by adding trees and subtracting concrete. Trees and plants are also a tool for managing flooding as they store water.
Outreach
The Warren HEZ is supported through its backbone agency, East Bay Community Action Program (EBCAP), which provides a wide array of health and human services to children, youth, families, adults, and elders. Through its health, education, and social support services, EBCAP helps those in need in communities throughout the East Bay.
Join Us
We’re looking for Warren HEZ members and staff! We invite Warren residents, community organizations, and local businesses to join and participate in many different ways to help create a healthier, more resilient community. We are always on the lookout for a chance to come and speak to a group. Visit EBCAP’s Careers & Internship page for more information about how you can work with us. If you would like to be involved in this exciting initiative, please contact Kristin Read, Warren HEZ Project Director, at 401-431-9874 ex. 1635 or email warrenhez@ebcap.org.
In 2024, Warren HEZ provided direct services to over 1,355 individuals and connected with an additional 7,441 individuals through community outreach. HEZ staff provides a warm hand-off to EBCAP services for resources, benefits, and case management.
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