Viola Davis and Husband Donate $1.2 Million to Central Falls Initiative

Viola Davis and Husband Donate $1.2 Million to Central Falls Initiative

Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis and her husband, producer and actor Julius Tennon, have announced a $1.2 million donation through the Davis-Tennon Foundation to establish the Mary Alice Davis Family Engagement Center, "a permanent community hub dedicated to expanding opportunity, strengthening families, and connecting Rhode Islanders with the resources they need to thrive."

 

Named in honor of Viola Davis' mother, Mary Alice Davis, the Center represents one of the Foundation's most significant investments to date and reflects Davis and Tennon's enduring commitment to the city that helped shape Viola's life.

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Viola Davis and her family lived in Central Falls.

 

"For me, this has always been about possibility," said Viola Davis. "Every person deserves to be seen. Every family deserves opportunity. Every child deserves to grow up believing their future is larger than their circumstances. My mother believed in people, even when life was difficult. Naming this Center in her honor is a tribute to her strength and a promise that we will continue investing in people and creating places where hope can grow."

 

"More than a building, the Mary Alice Davis Family Engagement Center will serve as a place where individuals and families can access services, education, support, and opportunity in one welcoming location. It also marks the next chapter for the Davis-Tennon Foundation as it expands from grantmaking into creating permanent infrastructure that will serve generations to come," said the announcement.

The Center will include:

• A Parent Resource Center
• Parent University and Adult Empowerment programming
• The expanded Mary Alice Davis Food Pantry
• Meeting and collaboration space for nonprofit organizations
• Workforce development and financial literacy programming
• Family engagement initiatives
• Community events and educational workshops
• A permanent administrative headquarters for the Davis-Tennon Foundation

 

The Mary Alice Davis Food Pantry has already become one of Rhode Island's most relied-upon community resources, serving approximately 3,000 individuals each month. Operated by dedicated adult volunteers from the community, the pantry is supported largely through the generosity of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and is currently housed at Shri Studio in Pawtucket, the community wellness space founded by Alison Bologna. The new Family Engagement Center will provide the pantry with a permanent home, allowing it to expand services while creating stronger connections between food assistance, family support, education, and other essential resources.