WARM Center Street Outreach Program
- Need: To connect people experiencing homelessness in southern Rhode Island to housing, healthcare, benefits, and other community supports.
- Intervention: WARM Center's Street Outreach Program sends trained outreach workers to meet with unhoused people and connect them to services, distribute items like food and clothing, and provide case management.
- Results: From July 2025 to August 2026, Street Outreach served 119 individuals and helped 31 people transition directly from street homelessness into permanent housing.
Description
The WARM Center in Westerly, Rhode Island, helps individuals and families experiencing homelessness, housing instability, and poverty by providing access to emergency shelter, affordable housing, food, clothing, and supportive services.
The WARM Center Street Outreach Program brings this support directly to people experiencing homelessness. Outreach workers meet with people living in campsites, vehicles, public spaces, and other locations.
The Street Outreach Program serves people experiencing homelessness in Westerly, Charlestown, Hopkinton, Narragansett, Richmond, South Kingstown, and surrounding communities. According to Rhode Island's definition of rural, Westerly, Charlestown, Hopkinton, and Richmond are classified as rural.
Services offered
Street Outreach staff:
- Assist with housing applications and documentation requirements
- Build trusting relationships through ongoing engagement and support
- Conduct outreach in locations where unsheltered individuals reside
- Connect participants to emergency shelter, permanent housing opportunities, healthcare services including behavioral health treatment, and public benefits
- Coordinate referrals to community resources and safety net programs
- Distribute food, water, clothing, hygiene products, blankets, and other items
- Help participants navigate service systems
- Provide case management and individualized service planning
- Support participants in achieving goals related to housing stability, income, health, and well-being
Results
From July 2025 to August 2026, Street Outreach served 119 individuals and helped 31 people transition directly from street homelessness into permanent housing. In addition, from January 2025 through June 2026, the program provided 102,230 meals to individuals experiencing homelessness.
Challenges
The demand for housing assistance and supportive services exceeds available community resources.
Replication
Some people experiencing homelessness might be distrustful of institutions like healthcare and homeless shelters. Build trust through consistent outreach efforts and a long-term commitment to building relationships.
Other key components of the program include:
- Dedicated staff
- Intensive case management
- Low-barrier engagement
- Proactive field outreach
- Strong collaboration with housing providers, healthcare facilities, and social service agencies
- Trauma-informed care
Contact Information
Monique Krupka, MHA, Deputy DirectorWARM Center
401.596.9276
mkrupka@warmcenter.org
Topics
Food security and nutrition
· Housing and homelessness
· Human services
· Social determinants of health
States served
Rhode Island
Date added
September 8, 2026
Suggested citation: Rural Health Information Hub, 2026. WARM Center Street Outreach Program [online]. Rural Health Information Hub. Available at: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/project-examples/1170 [Accessed 9 September 2026]
Please contact the models and innovations contact directly for the most complete and current information about this program. Summaries of models and innovations are provided by RHIhub for your convenience. The programs described are not endorsed by RHIhub or by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Each rural community should consider whether a particular project or approach is a good match for their community’s needs and capacity. While it is sometimes possible to adapt program components to match your resources, keep in mind that changes to the program design may impact results.