PROVIDENCE — A new resiliency center opened in Providence this month to provide long-term mental health support for those affected by two recent mass shootings in Rhode Island. The Ever Hope Center, launched on Oct. 14, is being led by Rachel Caruso, who has years of experience responding to violence victims and was on the scene during both shootings.
The center was established in the wake of a December 2025 mass shooting at Brown University, where two students were killed and nine others wounded, and a second mass shooting in February 2026 at a Pawtucket ice rink, where a gunman shot five people, killing three, including his son and ex-wife. Caruso, working with Family Service of Rhode Island, was a mental health responder in both incidents, spending hours assisting nearly 1,700 Brown students during a lockdown and providing support to survivors of the Pawtucket shooting.
Funded by a $2 million grant from the U.S. Justice Department’s Anti-terrorism and Emergency Assistance program, the Ever Hope Center is Rhode Island’s first resiliency center. These centers provide long-term recovery services after mass violence, a concept modeled after facilities established following events like the Oklahoma City bombing and the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. While the federal grant typically lasts two to three years, centers may continue operating with additional funding.
The center offers free services including counseling, victim compensation assistance, support groups, and wellness activities such as yoga and meditation. Administrators are also exploring additional offerings like art therapy. Located in the Rhode Island Foundation building at 1 Union Station, the center aims to be accessible for individuals impacted by the shootings—ranging from direct survivors and family members to community members affected by the trauma.
Dr. Angela Moreland, co-director of the National Mass Violence Center, highlighted that many people may not seek immediate help following a mass shooting but often require support months later as symptoms emerge or persist. Caruso echoed this, noting the unique, community-wide trauma that mass violence inflicts, which disrupts feelings of safety beyond individual victims.
Though only the Brown University shooting qualified for direct federal funding under the anti-terrorism umbrella, the Ever Hope Center secured additional federal funds to extend support for those affected by the Pawtucket shooting, which was classified as domestic violence. Caruso emphasized that the impact on the community is similarly profound, especially given the small, interconnected nature of the region.
The Pawtucket shooting had a deep effect on the local hockey community, including the Blackstone Valley Co-op team. Coach Chris Librizzi, whose team includes relatives of both victims and the shooter, attended the center’s opening. The team has participated in group therapy through Family Service of Rhode Island and views the Ever Hope Center as a vital resource for ongoing recovery.
Returning to the Dennis M. Lynch arena, where the shooting occurred, has been part of the healing process for players and families. The team resumed skating there under police and firefighter supervision over the summer and played their first game at the rink on Oct. 16. A charity event is planned to support the team before their home opener against East Greenwich High School on Dec. 18.
“Some of us may never fully heal,” Librizzi said, “but it’s a process, and having a dedicated space like the Ever Hope Center helps support that journey.”