About RiseUP Cooperative
Who We Are: RiseUP Cooperative is a 501(c)3 charity dedicated to equipping and engaging teens and young adults (13-23 years old) with the essential skills they need for a brighter future. Our mission is to provide life and leadership workshops that fill service gaps, ensuring that no child becomes a statistic.
Our Belief: We believe every teen can learn the skills and principles necessary to become responsible, independent, strong, empowered, upstanding, and productive adults. By fostering a positive mindset and self-esteem, we aim to help them achieve their full potential.
What We Do: Our passionate and experienced volunteers deliver tools and knowledge through a variety of workshops, empowering teens to succeed in all areas of life. These workshops cover a wide range of topics, including financial literacy, job readiness, health and safety, and mental health.
Workshops for Adults: In addition to our teen-focused programs, we also offer workshops for adults. These sessions provide parents, caregivers, and other adults with valuable information and strategies to support the teens in their lives. We welcome all adults—whether they work with teens, are raising teens, or simply want to learn more about these important topics.
Our Impact: By providing these resources, RiseUP aims to change the futures of the next generation and create a lasting impact on the community for years to come.
Join Us: We believe that in order to RiseUP, we must do it together. Join us in our mission to support and uplift the youth in our community, ensuring they have the skills and confidence to build a better tomorrow.
RiseUP Cooperative – Equipping and Engaging the Next Generation for a Better Tomorrow.
Our Story: The Founders of RiseUP Cooperative
{Sandy} With a background in social services, I witnessed firsthand the challenges and heartbreak that many teens face. Too many young people grow up without someone to make them feel special, without a family to call their own, or without a reliable support system. I saw countless teens age out of the system, left to navigate the world on their own without the necessary tools to succeed. Tragically, many of these young people ended up homeless or incarcerated, victims of a system that failed them.
Motivated by this harsh reality, Joe and I decided to become a foster-to-adopt home, hoping to provide support and love to at least one child. To our surprise, we were asked to consider a siblings set of three. We adopted those siblings and since, have been devoted to nurturing them, pouring love into their lives, and equipping them for a bright and successful future.
Still, we felt called to do more. We knew that helping just our children wasn’t enough. The drive to support the next generation, to give them the opportunities and care they deserve, led us to create RiseUP Cooperative.
{Joe} We understand that we cannot help everyone, but we can plant seeds and create ripple effects that will spark change across generations. By providing valuable tools and resources, we aim to create better tomorrows for all.
We firmly believe that the only way to RiseUP is to RiseUP Together. With the essential skills and support offered in our workshops, the youth we serve can rise to take charge of their futures.
We work to instill these core values – Responsibility, Independence, Strength, Upstanding character, Productive mindset and actions.
-Joe and Sandy Pricer | Founders, RiseUP Cooperative
our Board
Wendy Jenkins
Director, BOARD SECRETARY
Assistant Director of Clinical and Coordinated Entry Services at The Family Justice Center
LCSW, CFSW, CCFP, CLC
Tenasa McGhee
Director, Governance/Nominations Chair
Chief Operations Officer for The Nonprofit resource Center
A.J. Davis
Director, Volunteer chair
Vice President of Community Engagement at The Ronald McDonald House Charities
Some of our Volunteers
Debra Hicks
Blog Manager
Freelance Editor
