Social Connection on Main Street
Discussion with Keynote Speaker Bill Bartholomew
Next Roundtable: Thursday May 22, 2025, 12:00 noon - 1:00 PM
Online via Zoom (Free Registration here)
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Presenter: Bill Bartholomew, local journalist, musician and podcast producer
At the 2025 RI Smart Growth Awards on May 8, keynote speaker Bill Bartholomew described how the current epidemic of loneliness and social isolation is problematic – for our physical and mental health, our politics, and even our economy. He also introduced a few ways in which the built environment could be shaped to overcome this “atomization” (where people act as individuals, or “atoms” instead of as a collective, connected group for the well-being of all.)
Main Streets are places that provide incredible opportunity to bring communities together – not only as physical gathering locations but also as ideas that define our shared identity of place. In addition, the Main Street program itself provides a framework for people to take action together so that our places serve even better as facilitators of social connection (among other goals.)
Bill Bartholomew will join us as the featured guest for a participatory discussion about social connection on Main Street, and how Rhode Island’s unique geography, history, and identity can be leveraged to reclaim our commercial districts as thriving centers of community and well-being.
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This program is made possible with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS.) The contents do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government.
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Miss the Awards event and need to catch up before the Roundtable?
Listen to Main Street RI director Jillian Finkle and Bill start the discussion about these questions on May 6’s episode of Bartholomewtown.
| Wish you could have heard the keynote? Don't worry, we recorded it and will share the video soon! | |
We learned of all that goes into being a Main Street Manager, and it's A LOT.
For our April Roundtable we talked with Carl Rosa who worked as a Main Street Manager for 18 years, about all that's entailed in growing and maintaining a Main Street.
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Imagine your community had a full time person whose job was to make your Main Street district successful… We haven’t seen this very often in Rhode Island, but hundreds of other communities around the country have invested in Main Street manager positions as a way to reap the economic and social benefits of the Main Street Approach developed by Main Street America.
But what does a Main Street manager actually do? How could funding this kind of position lead to results on the ground? To answer that question we talked with the former CEO of Main Street Waterbury (CT) and the current Field Services Officer for the Connecticut Main Street Center, Carl Rosa.
Even if a paid Main Street Manager might not be possible for your district right now, learning more about the tasks they undertake can help all of us think about how we work in our Main Street districts, how we make the case to fund Main Street work, and how we think about the future.
If you missed it, you can watch the recording of our conversation here, and check out our blog post on a day in the life of a Main Street Manager here.
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MAIN STREET LEGISLATION UPDATE
Please write to your state senators and representatives!
The current legislation to establish a statewide Coordinating Main Street program in Rhode Island (S0174 and H5477 - Read the release HERE) were heard in both the Senate and House Finance Committees on Tuesday, May 6 and were held for further study. (View a video of Grow Smart RI's testimony HERE.)
NOW IS THE TIME! If you believe a Main Street program would benefit your community, we are urging all of our participants to please email your State Senators and Representatives and let them know you support state investment in this program! Find a sample letter HERE and legislator contact info HERE.
Thank you so much to Senator Lori Urso (District 8, Pawtucket) and Representative Art Handy (District 18, Cranston) for sponsoring these reolutions!
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Did you know that the first bloodshed of the American Revolution happened right here in Rhode Island, when colonists burned the British revenue schooner, the HMS Gaspee? Come commemorate this brave act and celebrate community with Gaspee Day events held through May and June, including an Arts and Crafts Festival in Pawtuxet Village! Warwick, May 24-26, 10AM-5PM.
Other Events:
Providence Port Day, Providence, May 17, 8am-4pm
Newport Oyster and Chowder Festival, Newport, May 17-18, 11am - 6:00pm
I Love the 80's to Death: Murder Mystery Party, Downtown Woonsocket Collaborative, May 17, 6-9pm
Art Night, Bristol & Warren, last Thursday of the month, May-August, 5:30PM-8:30PM
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Additional Opportunities:
The application for T-Mobile Hometown Grants is now open!
Through T-Mobile Hometown Grants, towns with a population of 50,000 or less can get up to $50,000 to bring your community project ideas to life. The current grant cycle is open now and closes on Monday, June 30, 2025.
Main Street America is partnering with T‑Mobile to help build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities. With T‑Mobile’s Hometown Grant program, they’re investing big in small towns by awarding up to 100 towns a year with project funding — up to $50,000 each. Learn more and apply here.
Want to share your info here? Please email us!
| | Thank You to our Main Street RI Founding Sponsor: |
| Additional Main Street Program Support Provided By: | | Why the focus on Main Street? | | |
Grow Smart RI is building a network of people and organizations who are interested in helping our commercial districts succeed as thriving places that support community and small businesses. We welcome anyone to be a part of it!
We use the term "Main Street" as short hand for any street, corridor, downtown, or traditional neighborhood center with a cluster of retail, restaurants and commercial/ civic activity.
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Learn more about
Main Street America
Main Street America leads a national movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. Founded in 1980, they have helped over 2,000 communities across the country bring economic vitality back downtown, while celebrating their history and culture and bringing communities together. Their efforts have resulted in over $107 billion in reinvestment.
Each year, Main Street America celebrates three communities whose successes serve as a model for comprehensive, preservation-based revitalization efforts in their historic downtowns and commercial corridors. Check out this year's winners of the Great American Main Street Award!
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