Our Story
The Reno Initiative for Shelter & Equality
On a cold winter afternoon in January of 2012, several friends gathered around a hot stove and set out to make the night a little warmer for others. The idea was clear: gather with friends, family, and neighbors to make home-cooked food and share it with love to a community in need. The work was contagious, and before long, we were cooking in our tiny kitchen each week.
As the project grew and word spread, we began meeting people from all walks of life who wanted to help. We shared our ideas and visions of the Reno we want to see: a vibrant community that builds, supports, and participates. Six months after that cold day in January, RISE was formed!
Our mission is to empower individuals and build a more resilient community by leveraging shared resources and practicing mutual aid.
Our vision is to build a community filled with opportunities for individuals to feel empowered to live purpose-driven lives, united by shared responsibility and sustained by a culture of mutual care.
What We Do
RISE has always believed that the people closest to the work should lead it, especially those with lived experience! That’s why we’ve spent years hiring, mentoring, and supporting people who’ve experienced homelessness, substance use, or incarceration to become Peer Recovery Support Specialists and leaders in this work.
Since we got started, RISE has grown a lot. Today, we’ve got over 70 staff and 12 programs that focus on improving the health and well-being of people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, people in recovery (including families), people who use drugs, and those who are justice-involved or returning home from incarceration. We stay grounded through our partnerships with local faith communities, recovery networks, and service providers.