It is often difficult to understand the causes of poverty, homelessness and food insecurity, but difficult life experiences can and do disrupt secure foundations leading to insecurity and the sacrifice of basic needs. Would you consider donating to help Rising Up achieve its mission?
In 2016 I was injured and could not work and I became homeless. It was bad. I was put in touch with Pam at Rising Up to help me get on public assistance and how to deal with social security. She changed my life. I am now on disability, have a nice apartment and have my dignity back. It was a very tough road that took a long time. You just have to keep going and stay strong. -M.R.
By being able to volunteer at Rising Up it has given me so many opportunities to grow as a person. The chance to regain my self-esteem and respect, to be productive in helping our community and people in need. I got the opportunity to meet and get to know so many people from all walks of life. By being part of what Rising Up does has humbled me. So here are the resources that Rising Up has provided me.
To start with, they gave me respect without judgment; so much kindness. They provided me shelter when I was homeless. They gave me a warm place when I was cold. Food when I was hungry. A safe place to have time to try to figure out what to do next.
Rising Up gave me hope, by providing the opportunity to obtain the services of advocating to help guide me through the process of applying for disability. Without this service, I probably would not have followed through to get it. I have worked all my life until the last couple of years when I physically couldn't. Thanks, Rising Up! -J.W.
I came to Rising Up after being released from the Department of Corrections. I had heard from a friend that Rising Up could help me. I came to the Warming Center to stay and met with Pam. She sent me to the WorkForce Center and I got a job the first day and began working right away. -P.H.
To create innovative lasting solutions to homelessness, hunger, and poverty in Morgan County.
When Rising up's founder, Pam Hernandez, heard about the closing of the community's only homeless shelter she was determined to pick up where the previous organization had left off. Pam felt not only called to reestablish the organization but to create an agency that fostered the belief in the capacity to be self-reliant by empowering decision-making and self-worth. Notwithstanding, Rising Up would be built on a relationship of trust and compassion to instill dignity and a sense of purpose.
Over the next year and a half, Rising Up's mission was established, the Board of Directors was formed, and the groundwork was laid for the agency to set roots in Morgan County. The initial steps of helping the most vulnerable citizens in the community was through food. Using a cooler and the trunk of her car, Pam delivered peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to the local homeless people camping in the park, living in their cars or out on the street.
In anticipation of the agency's non-profit designation, the local Methodist church offered an annex building they owned as space for the agency's Warming Center for the first warming season in January 2016. In addition to the Warming Center, a mobile pantry was deployed to deliver food to those who could not access the community pantry for various reasons. Then, in July 2016 the community food pantry closed its doors. As a result, Rising Up quickly mobilized to incorporate a pantry as a component of its services. The Rising Up Client Choice Pantry opened in August 2016.
The overarching need Pam felt compelled to address in Morgan County was the empowerment of the area's most vulnerable and insecure citizens with a host of compassionate services that fostered a sense of trust in the agency and its methods of supporting them toward a path of self-sufficiency. With the roll-out of the Warming Center and Food Pantry complete, the Day Center, One Home at a Time and Work Component program surfaced as mission-aligned companion programs tailored to creating innovative lasting solutions to homelessness, hunger, and poverty in Morgan County.
Organization name
Rising Up
2015
Tax id (EIN)
47-3562416
Category
Human Services
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
527 State St.Headquarters
527 State St.Mailing
527 State StMorgan County, CO, US