Project Undercover Marks 25th Anniversary with 300+ Crowd at Rhode Island Country Club

All-volunteer organization raises $50K to purchase diapers for kids in need
Project Undercover, the only organization in Rhode Island dedicated to eliminating diaper
need, turns 25 this year. It marked the occasion with a crowd of 300+ supporters at the
Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington on Thursday, August 17. Its third annual “Taste of
Summer” fundraiser doubled as a 25th anniversary celebration, featuring 15 restaurants
from around the state offering seasonal tastes, musicians Pat McGree and Patrick McAloon
providing entertainment, and Congressman David Cicilline and WPRI 12 meteorologist
Michelle Muscatello speaking on behalf of the organization.
The event raised $50,000 for the all-volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit, which provides diapers,
socks, and underwear for the approximately 20,000 Rhode Island children ages 7 and under
living in poverty. That more than doubles the total raised at last year’s Taste of Summer.
The proceeds will be used to purchase supplies for the organization’s two-dozen partner
agencies around the state, who will then distribute them directly to families in their communities.

“Fifty grand buys a lot of diapers, especially with our purchasing power,” said Project Undercover
founder/president Richard Fleischer. “The fact that a small organization like ours
can muster that kind of support from the community is a testament to both the importance
of our mission and the need throughout Rhode Island. A lot of families are going to receive
the diapers they need because of this event.”
“We’re honored and thrilled by the generosity of so many Rhode Islanders who helped us
celebrate this milestone,” said Project Undercover vice president and event chair Stephanie
Oster Wilmarth. “The need for what we do hasn’t decreased since Project Undercover began
in 1992, so this event marks a great start to the next 25 years.”
“Being involved in this organization has taught me so much about the struggles of our fellow
Rhode Islanders, but also about their kindness and willingness to help,” said board
member treasurer Sadie DeCourcy. “Project Undercover is truly making a difference in the
lives of families in our community.”
About Project Undercover
Project Undercover believes that every child has the right to a clean, dry bottom. That’s why
we provide diapers, socks, underwear and baby wipes to help the approximately 20,000
children under age 7 throughout Rhode Island living in poverty. (There are approximately
45,000 total children living in poverty in RI.) Project Undercover collects and distributes
these items to more than two-dozen community action partnerships and social service
agencies throughout the state based on data from the RI Department of Human Services.
These partner agencies are then able to provide supplies directly to struggling families in
their communities.