VIDEO: Senators pay tribute to Brother Michael

WASHINGTON, DC – Last night, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to celebrate the life, leadership, and lasting legacy of the late Michael Reis, a De Lasalle Christian brother who founded Tides Family Services Inc.  

Known for his compassion and unwavering dedication to assisting at-risk children and families, Brother Michael Reis passed away suddenly on September 24 at the age of 81.

Born in 1942 in Queens, New York, Brother Michael Reis dedicated his life to service, joining the De La Salle Christian Brothers in 1960, teaching math and engaging in various forms of community and social service. 

Reis moved to Rhode Island in 1974, working as a chaplain for the Adult Correctional Institute and co-founding Ocean Tides, a residential treatment facility.  Brother Michael went on to establish Tides Family Services, support the health, education, and well-being of children and families in Rhode Island.  Today, the organization has grown to having more than 140 staffers serving over 500 youth daily. Tides Family Services offers include family and group counseling, home visitations, educational and court advocacy and other services.

In 2018, Brother Michael stepped away from leading Tides Family Services’ full time as CEO and became its chief visionary officer.

Brother Michael also impacted the community by serving in multiple roles with organizations such as the Rhode Island Children’s Policy Coalition, the Rhode Island Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Pawtucket Soup Kitchen, the State of Rhode Island: Sexual Offender Management Task Force, the Parent Support Network, and The San Miguel School in Providence.

“Brother Michael lived the mission of the De La Salle Christian Brothers.  For over 40 years, he worked across systems, finding innovative ways to reach and support our most challenged youth… and bring along partners to support this cause.  His  vision, tenacity, and great love for our community built two organizations that to this day are places of hope and healing for struggling youth and families.  We are forever in his debt,” said Senator Reed.  “Brother Michael left us on Sunday, September 24, 2023, but his work lives on -- in the lives he changed, in the institutions he built, and in the example he left for all of us.  May he rest in peace.”

“One of life’s profound joys is when you encounter people who are unforgettable, and in the case of Brother Michael, he was unforgettably kind,” said Senator Whitehouse, who worked closely with Brother Michael on the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, which was signed into law in 2018.  “There are so many people around Rhode Island right now, including people who are very successful, who can look back in their lives to where Brother Michael’s endless patience, endless kindness, and endless affection gave them a pathway to work through whatever problems were clouding and bedeviling their lives, and then move on and become successful.”