Company is providing $25,000 in television exposure and print ads for the non-profit agency

WARWICK – Mayor Scott Avedisian today publicly lauded Cox Communications, which has selected FRIENDS WAY, the state’s only support group for bereaved children, to receive $25,000 worth of television exposure and newspaper ad recognition in local newspapers.

The funds are administered as part of the company’s new “Community Spotlight” program, aimed at helping Rhode Island area non-profit agencies to raise awareness of their mission, programs and services. The 30-second public service announcements will run throughout the state on some of the most popular cable networks, including Discovery Channel, MTV and CNN. Additionally, Cox will award $1,000 each quarter to one of the three participating non-profit agencies.

On behalf of everyone affiliated with the organization, Jenny Kaplan Schreiber, founder of FRIENDS WAY, expressed her sincerest gratitude to Cox Communications for appreciating the unique needs of grieving children, teens and families and recognizing that FRIENDS WAY offers a true haven of healing and hope. "We are overwhelmed by the generosity of Cox Communications and the positive impact this project will have on the bereaved community,” she said. “We feel proud and blessed to be amongst the Community Spotlight agencies, since all of them do such worthwhile work."

“The City of Warwick has long recognized the invaluable services that FRIENDS WAY provides to our youth and has been proud to support its efforts,” Avedisian said. “The advertising that Cox Communications is donating is certainly not something that most non-profit agencies could afford to do on their own. I am sure that the added exposure for FRIENDS WAY will mean not only additional children taking advantage of its programs, but additional financial support from individuals and businesses throughout the state.”

FRIENDS WAY was formally incorporated on April 19, 1999 and received its nonprofit 501(c)3 status in August 1999. Its grief group sessions began in October 2000 at Westbay Community Action Children's Center in Warwick. In 2001, FRIENDS WAY moved to East Greenwich into donated space. After three years in operation, the agency held a capital campaign and subsequently purchased, in April 2005, the larger West Shore Road facility.

For more information about the agency, log onto FRIENDSWAY.org.

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