Leading a Nonprofit during the Holidays

There's something magical about leading a nonprofit during the holidays. And by magical, I mean equal parts heart-warming, emotionally heavy, logistically crazy, and fueled by more caffeine than I care to admit.

But this year... this year was different.

RiseUP had the honor of hosting a Free Holiday Shopping Event- welcoming 27 organizations who "shopped" completely free for the families they serve.

In one day, those partners selected gifts, clothing, toys, and household items for 1,550 individuals across our community.

Hold on... let that sink in.

One thousand five hundred fifty people.

That's not just a number on paper.

That's faces.

That's kids who get to feel special and remembered.

That's parents who can breathe a little easier.

Those who serve get to bring a little extra and add a few more smiles to the day.

And it's nonprofits, schools, shelters, and agencies who now have one less barrier standing between them and the people they're fighting for every day.

That's Christmas magic.

Five Below donated boxes of items--- far more than we expected. At first, we didn't know what we'd do with them.

Then we realized: let's support the people who support our community.

So that's exactly what we did. What started as extra stock turned into a beautiful, unexpected community win---multiplying joy far beyond anything we could've planned on our own.

A huge, joyful, grateful shoutout to Five Below for making this Holiday Store possible. Their partnership allowed us to transform an entire space into a place of hope: bright aisles, brand-new gifts, thoughtful choices, and a shopping experience filled with dignity.

Every leader who walked in said the same thing: "This changes everything for the families we serve."

That's the kind of impact you can't measure with dollars or data points.

What it means to lead through the holiday season.

Nonprofit leadership in December is... a lot.

Budgets. Events. Final reports. End-of-year giving.

And trying to remember which child in your own household you did in fact already buy Christmas pajamas for.

But it's also a season where you see, in real time, why we do this work.

You see generosity multiplied.

You see people rising together.

You see others choosing kindness in ways that ripple far past one day or one event.

And you get to stand right in the middle of it all, tired but grateful, overwhelmed but honored, knowing you've been entrusted with something that matters.

The heart of it all.

When I watched those 27 organizations walk through our Holiday Store doors, I felt the weight and privilege of this mission all over again.

RiseUP may be small in staff, but we are big in heart, purpose, and the belief that every person---every teen, every young adult, every family---deserves hope and support.

This event wasn't only about serving 1,550 people.

It was a reminder of why I said yes to this mission in the first place:

Community

Love

Hope

Meaningful impact

And the power of standing shoulder to shoulder

Because we can only RiseUP together.

To everyone who made it possible... THANK YOU.

To Five Below

To our volunteers

TO our partners

To every organization that serves day in and day out

To everyone who supports RiseUP in any way

You helped make this Christmas a little brighter for over 1,500 people, and that's a gift I'll carry long after the season ends.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart---we RiseUP together.