Steven F Skolaski, President, Oscar Rennebohm Foundation
“I have had the pleasure over this last 5 years witnessing Scott Strong, Executive Director of RISE, and his professional staff of the various departments including Early Childhood Home Visiting, Respite, Mental Health etc, collaborate with other organizations to successfully create, operate, and sustain services to best meet the unique needs of each of the families in the Northside Early Child Zone (NECZ).
This Capital Campaign is more than a renovation of a building – it will change the RISE organization as they now will be able to work and serve their clients for the better, from a very professional single location, making the RISE staff more efficient with the ability to continue the collaboration between the many different departments.“
Shannon Barry, Executive Director, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services
“All of us at DAIS (Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, Inc.) are thrilled that RISE will be remodeling their Fordem Avenue building to create one central location for all of their staff. Being located two doors down from RISE is a true benefit for DAIS and those we serve. In fact, DAIS specifically selected our Fordem Avenue site due to the proximity to the Respite Center and other early childhood programs provided by RISE (formerly Center for Families), as well as other nonprofit organizations within the vicinity. With this project, RISE will be able to bring its exceptional mental health programs together with its outstanding early childhood programs which will be an added benefit to the DAIS families served by RISE. We are truly grateful for the work of RISE, the impact they have for children and families in Dane County, and our partnership.”
Kristin Rucinski, Executive Director, The Road Home
“As the Executive Director of The Road Home Dane County, it is my pleasure to support RISE’s Fordem Avenue building remodel because, bottom line, it will benefit Dane County families. RISE has a proven track record of providing strong and impactful early childhood programs, mental health support, and holistic family services. An updated facility will enhance and improve upon existing service delivery. In our work at The Road Home, we know it is common for families (who often lack their own vehicles) to have to travel to multiple locations, sometimes in the same day, to access needed programs and support. Any co-location of programming is a major benefit to families and ensures not just less logistical hurdles, but overall, creates a more comprehensive, compassionate, and coordinated approach to helping families meet their goals. I look forward to RISE’s more coordinated approach, and believe families will too. I fully support this campaign and encourage the community to “RISE to the Occasion” to help make this possibility a reality. “
Renee Moe, CEO, United Way of Dane County
“United Way of Dane County’s efforts with RISE in new 2Gen collaborations and the Early Childhood Zones have shown that how services are delivered for families matters. We also know place matters. We thrilled that RISE will soon consolidate their entire staff and programming in one location. This means that young children and their parents will be able to access vital services more easily — all in one place. Co-locating early childhood education and mental health services has never been more important than right now during the COVID-19 pandemic. RISE is already a key partner in United Way’s community-wide early childhood initiatives, and this building project will generate even better outcomes for the children and families of Dane County. “
Sue Riseling, Former UW-Madison Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief of Police
“Years ago, I was involved with the Family Centers capital campaign when the organization sought to construct a new building on Fordem Avenue. Four agencies consolidated into a new single entity, Center for Families, with one executive director and an expanded mission. While I served as UW-Madison’s Police Chief, Center for Families was where I spent my personal time and made a meaningful contribution in support of the community. Strong families lead to a better community for all. Believing in continuous improvement, in 2017, the Centers for Families merged with Community Partnerships to form RISE! Now it is time, again, to consolidate them all under one roof at Fordem Avenue! A remodeling of the existing facility makes the most sense and is the most economical path forward. What a perfect way to give kids and parents direct access to a full range of supportive programs and services under one roof. I can’t wait to see the new look and what it will mean to the families participating at RISE.”
Jac Garner, Former CEO, Webcrafters
“I’m excited about the expansion of RISE’s Fordem Avenue building to house its entire staff in one place. When I was CEO at Webcrafters right across the street from RISE, I saw firsthand how they served the needs of local children and families. Their success in helping clients made us proud to be their neighbor. In my recent work with United Way, I’ve seen how RISE implements the two-generation approach to family stability, providing a full range of wrap-around services for the whole family. This remodel and expansion of their facility will strengthen staff synergies and help RISE deliver that comprehensive array of support services more effectively than ever.”
Noble Wray, Former Madison Police Chief
“RISE plays a huge, essential role in the well-being of our children. In my years on the Madison police force, I saw an ever-growing number of children who were victims of trauma and neglect, which were major factors in their behavior. Their parents needed support so my officers and I frequently utilized RISE’s Respite Center to keep children safe while giving their parents a break. I also knew we couldn’t just arrest or incarcerate our way out of this problem, so we referred many of these young people to RISE for the wrap-around mental health and trauma intervention they needed, and RISE always delivered. My fellow officers and I were grateful to have RISE as such a reliable resource. I know that their remodeled building will strengthen their success in providing the holistic support services these young people need. Our children and the entire community will benefit greatly from this renovated space.”
Katie Schmitt, MD (Medical Director, Unity Point Health-Meriter Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Hospital)
“At the Unity Point Health-Meriter Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Hospital, we are vividly aware of the huge mental health challenges facing many of our community’s young people, especially now during the coronavirus pandemic. That’s why we were glad to hear that one of our close referral partners is planning to locate all of its staff and services in one building. This means that RISE will be able to provide even better service to the many patients we refer to them.
Our psychiatric hospital regularly refers young patients to RISE for mental health wrap-around services to assist with their transition from the hospitalization and, at times, as an alternative to a hospitalization. This partnership with RISE is a key component of the mental health continuum of care for children and adolescents, helps to prevent unnecessary readmissions, and is not only a significant cost savings to the health systems and community it is also a much better fit for most of the children and adolescents, providing sustainable outcomes. RISE has always excelled at treating the whole child, not just some specific symptoms. Their Fordem Avenue building project will enable them to take that type of holistic service to a new level. We can’t wait.”