Rise Phoenix Rise, Inc.'s (RPR) drive is threefold, we aim to help individuals in the community navigate on their journey towards recovery from mental health and/or substance use struggles; we educate the community about the benefits of animal assisted therapy as well as the power of peer support; and we empower individuals stable in their recovery who have a desire to pay it forward to receive professional development to follow a trajectory towards a peer support professional. For each of these initiatives, RPR hopes to raise at least $1000 for a total of $3000.
My name is Lori. I'm 55 years old and have struggled with severe social anxiety for most of my life. I was fortunate to find Rise Phoenix Rise to help me to cope with my anxiety and live a more fulfilling life.
After initially attending a support group with RPR I learned of their program of peer support counseling. I met Christina who began providing twice a week support in my home. I was having great difficulty even leaving my house at this time due to severe social anxiety.
She worked with me and my chihuahua, Rupert. She helped me feel more confident going out into the community by addressing my fears and demonstrating ways that Rupert could help to make me feel more comfortable. We spent time discussing common issues we both had experienced. These sessions helped me immensely in recognizing the wonderful support that I had available to me right in my home. Knowing this is such a comfort because traditional psychiatric and counseling services are so limited in availability and scope that I had in the past felt very alone and underserved. I think that the Rise Phoenix Rise peer support program is great!
Lori Gongaware
Our mission is to provide a safe, stigma-free environment where mental health peers can have the opportunity to interact with companion animals as well as participate in various activities that promote healthy mental hygiene. The vision of Rise Phoenix Rise is to share the benefits of rescued animals with those struggling with mental illness. Rescued animals are magical healers who will be beneficial to the mental health community. Together the companion animals and the mental health peers can "rise from the ashes" of their struggles into wellness. Rise Phoenix Rise marries the two evidence-based practices of peer support and animal-assisted therapy to help individuals navigate through the journey towards recovery from mental health and/or substance use struggles.
Founded in 2015 in Richmond, VA, Rise Phoenix Rise, Inc. is a small peer-run animal-assisted wellness program aimed at helping those with lived experiences with mental health and/or substance use struggles by incorporating animal assisted activities with peer support. We became a nonstock corporation August 3 2015 and received our 501c3 designation December 28, 2015. Originally located in Hanover County, Virginia, we relocated to Boulder County, Colorado in November 2019. Due to the ongoing pandemic, we have been able to hold virtual meetings, retaining some of our Virginia service recipients via Zoom while we meet some new Colorado friends! Geography has no boundaries! Beginning March 2021, we started having live meetings at the Recovery Café in Longmont, Colorado. In April 2022, we expanded to Evans, CO in Weld County. We are excited to see our organization grow.
Organization name
Rise Phoenix Rise, Inc.
other names
RPR
Tax id (EIN)
47-4845739
Category
Mental Health & Crisis Intervention
Address
1067 S Hover St Unit E #604Headquarters
3390 Bluegrass CircleBoulder County, CO, US
Weld County, CO, US