Jeff Melish Fund for Basic Needs
The Jeff Melish Fund for Basic Needs provides emergency assistance for housing, utilities, transportation, childcare and health care. The goal is to prevent a short-term crisis from turning into a long-term problem.
H. Jefferson “Jeff” Melish served on the board of directors of the Jonnycake Center for more than sixteen years. Jeff was a longtime attorney in Wakefield known for his commitment to civil and social justice. He volunteered with the Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (RIACLU) for three decades and was a champion of social, racial, and economic justice. Jeff served many of the area’s non-profits and social service agencies as on-call lawyer to help clients in urgent need of services and legal help, including the RI ACLU, South County Community Action, and ProChange Behavior Systems, helping to expand access to safe affordable housing for the poor, adequate food and care for families, and inclusive education systems for all.
Jonnycake Center For Hope is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
Our federal identification number is 05-0374356