SESLOC Spotlight: RISE

SESLOC Spotlight highlights local organizations that make the Central Coast the best place to live.

Today we’re shining the spotlight on RISE, a valuable resource in our community for those in crisis. Jane Pomeroy, Executive Director, describes how the nonprofit has supported and empowered our community since 1975:

RISE

Industry: Nonprofit

Serving the Central Coast since: 1975

How many employees? 36

How many volunteers? 40

What’s your mission? Transform the lives of sexual and intimate partner violence survivors, their families and the community through services and education that promote safety, healing and empowerment.

What’s unique about RISE? Our tagline — Respect, Inspire, Support, Empower — informs every part of the way we operate, from providing services to survivors and their loved ones, to treating staff and volunteers as valued members of a collaborative team. We strive to address the complexities of gender-based violence in our community by using a holistic approach. We value our collaborative partners in the governmental, nonprofit, and business sectors, and actively engage individual volunteers in our daily operations, from crisis intervention to prevention.

What do you attribute to your success? While RISE’s mission has remained steady, our programs and services have adapted over the years to address the complex and changing needs of diverse community members. Our culture embraces learning, accountability, humor, and self-care — essential components of a resilient organization tasked with such challenging work. Finally, we simply could not do what we do without the dedication and endless support of our community.

What advice would you give someone interested in supporting your mission? There is no single way to support RISE and our mission. While monetary donations are extremely important, donations of time and talent are equally valuable. If you are interested in learning more about our robust volunteer program, visit www.riseslo.org/volunteer. One simple way to support RISE’s mission is by vowing to believe survivors when they tell you they’ve been assaulted or abused. Research tells us that most survivors don’t tell anyone, but if they do, they tell a trusted friend or confidant. Simply by believing and referring to RISE, you have the power to ensure survivors access essential services that will launch them on their healing journeys!