Atrion Founder and West Warwick Mission Receive Humanitarian Award
Street Sights newspaper recognizes Charlie Nault and Artic Mission efforts to diminish poverty and addiction.
West Warwick, RI, February 25, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Lead by founder and CEO emeritus of Atrion Networking Corporation, Charlie Nault, the Artic Mission today announces it has been recognized with the Humanitarian Award from Street Sights, a newspaper focusing on homeless news and advocacy in Rhode Island. The Street Sights Humanitarian Award recognizes Rhode Island organizations and individuals who have embodied the newspaper’s mission of shedding light on, providing a voice to and empowering the often under-acknowledged homeless community.
Established in 2002, the Artic Mission is a non-profit, volunteer organization working to improve the quality of life for the under-resourced and homeless of the Arctic area of West Warwick. The Mission helps visitors overcome addiction, improve general life skills and find job and housing opportunities through counseling, mentorship, education and resource services.
Additionally, the Mission operates a feeding program, a free coffee house with live entertainment and four small supply stores where clothing, household goods and baby care items can be purchased at an affordable price. Items can also be earned through a point system that rewards class attendance and efforts towards self-improvement. A brand new beauty salon was opened in March of 2007 to help visitors tend to both their physical needs as well as emotional confidence.
Currently, the Artic Mission is connected to over 300 area families, serving approximately 120 of them each month in various capacities. With the faltering state of the economy in recent months, the Mission has seen about a 30% increase in client need. The number of families applying for the Mission’s Emergency Heating Assistance program has tripled.
“The system doesn’t always work,” said Jeany DiTomasso of Street Sights, “especially for the homeless. But Charlie and the Artic Mission are doing it right. They are making meaningful contributions and making a difference in helping those who really need help. They are wonderful people; it would be a better place if more of us aspired to be like them. And if it’s still not clear on why the Artic Mission has received our Humanitarian Award, well, I think you ought to read up about them and you’ll see it’s as simple as that.”
“We are honored to be recognized by Street Sights with this Humanitarian Award,” said Charlie Nault, executive director of the Artic Mission. “Our volunteers work tirelessly for nothing more than the satisfaction of helping another human being in need. It is gratifying to see that their efforts are recognized and appreciated by an organization dedicated to serving people in similar straits. We are also confident that the exposure in Street Sights will help us to reach even more families with our classes, mentoring and services. I am thrilled to accept this award on behalf of the Artic Mission Board and our team of some of the kindest and most compassionate people you’ll find in Rhode Island.”
Charlie is the founder and CEO emeritus of Atrion, a leading provider of information technology and managed services. He began working with the Mission through youth outreach and its first toy drive. Charlie retired his position at Atrion in October of 2006 to focus his attention on the Mission and its community. He was honored by the support he received in his decision from both his Atrion staff and clients.
Although the Artic Mission is a Christian Faith-based organization, it is not affiliated with any one church or denomination and welcomes families and individuals of all faiths and backgrounds. It works with several partners including area churches, CareNet Rhode Island, West Bay Community Action, Alcoholics Anonymous and others. For more information, please visit www.thearticmission.org.
About Street Sights:
Street Sights is Providence's street newspaper. It serves as a forum for advocates, homeless and formerly homeless individuals, students, state officials and the general public to share accurate and honest information about homelessness issues. Our goal is to shed light on a subject not often addressed and, to some degree, ignored. We aim to provoke discussion and give a voice to the voiceless in our community. We provide a space free of judgment in which we recognize the dignity and worth of each person and in doing so we empower the group as a whole. For more information, visit www.streetsights.org.
About the Artic Mission:
The Artic Mission is a 501c3 Christian Faith-based mission located on Main Street in the downtown (Arctic) section of West Warwick, RI. We are not affiliated with any one church or denomination, but are supported by a number of churches and individuals who contribute regularly to our mission of serving the most under-resourced residents of West Warwick. We are staffed entirely by volunteers so that there are minimal administrative expenses and maximum impact for all donations. Our Mission is to change lives by helping to fill the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our clients and by providing education, resources and inspiration for personal growth and a better quality of life. For more information, visit www.thearticmission.org.
Contact:
Giselle LaFrance
(401) 829-8321
glafrance@atrion.net
Charlie Nault
(401) 828-9400
articmission@gmail.com
###
Established in 2002, the Artic Mission is a non-profit, volunteer organization working to improve the quality of life for the under-resourced and homeless of the Arctic area of West Warwick. The Mission helps visitors overcome addiction, improve general life skills and find job and housing opportunities through counseling, mentorship, education and resource services.
Additionally, the Mission operates a feeding program, a free coffee house with live entertainment and four small supply stores where clothing, household goods and baby care items can be purchased at an affordable price. Items can also be earned through a point system that rewards class attendance and efforts towards self-improvement. A brand new beauty salon was opened in March of 2007 to help visitors tend to both their physical needs as well as emotional confidence.
Currently, the Artic Mission is connected to over 300 area families, serving approximately 120 of them each month in various capacities. With the faltering state of the economy in recent months, the Mission has seen about a 30% increase in client need. The number of families applying for the Mission’s Emergency Heating Assistance program has tripled.
“The system doesn’t always work,” said Jeany DiTomasso of Street Sights, “especially for the homeless. But Charlie and the Artic Mission are doing it right. They are making meaningful contributions and making a difference in helping those who really need help. They are wonderful people; it would be a better place if more of us aspired to be like them. And if it’s still not clear on why the Artic Mission has received our Humanitarian Award, well, I think you ought to read up about them and you’ll see it’s as simple as that.”
“We are honored to be recognized by Street Sights with this Humanitarian Award,” said Charlie Nault, executive director of the Artic Mission. “Our volunteers work tirelessly for nothing more than the satisfaction of helping another human being in need. It is gratifying to see that their efforts are recognized and appreciated by an organization dedicated to serving people in similar straits. We are also confident that the exposure in Street Sights will help us to reach even more families with our classes, mentoring and services. I am thrilled to accept this award on behalf of the Artic Mission Board and our team of some of the kindest and most compassionate people you’ll find in Rhode Island.”
Charlie is the founder and CEO emeritus of Atrion, a leading provider of information technology and managed services. He began working with the Mission through youth outreach and its first toy drive. Charlie retired his position at Atrion in October of 2006 to focus his attention on the Mission and its community. He was honored by the support he received in his decision from both his Atrion staff and clients.
Although the Artic Mission is a Christian Faith-based organization, it is not affiliated with any one church or denomination and welcomes families and individuals of all faiths and backgrounds. It works with several partners including area churches, CareNet Rhode Island, West Bay Community Action, Alcoholics Anonymous and others. For more information, please visit www.thearticmission.org.
About Street Sights:
Street Sights is Providence's street newspaper. It serves as a forum for advocates, homeless and formerly homeless individuals, students, state officials and the general public to share accurate and honest information about homelessness issues. Our goal is to shed light on a subject not often addressed and, to some degree, ignored. We aim to provoke discussion and give a voice to the voiceless in our community. We provide a space free of judgment in which we recognize the dignity and worth of each person and in doing so we empower the group as a whole. For more information, visit www.streetsights.org.
About the Artic Mission:
The Artic Mission is a 501c3 Christian Faith-based mission located on Main Street in the downtown (Arctic) section of West Warwick, RI. We are not affiliated with any one church or denomination, but are supported by a number of churches and individuals who contribute regularly to our mission of serving the most under-resourced residents of West Warwick. We are staffed entirely by volunteers so that there are minimal administrative expenses and maximum impact for all donations. Our Mission is to change lives by helping to fill the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our clients and by providing education, resources and inspiration for personal growth and a better quality of life. For more information, visit www.thearticmission.org.
Contact:
Giselle LaFrance
(401) 829-8321
glafrance@atrion.net
Charlie Nault
(401) 828-9400
articmission@gmail.com
###
Contact
Atrion Networking Corporation
Giselle LaFrance
(401) 829-8321
http://www.atrion.net
Giselle LaFrance
(401) 829-8321
http://www.atrion.net
Contact
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