RISE is the largest nonprofit organization in Nebraska focused solely on habilitative programming in prisons and reentry support. At RISE, transformation starts pre-release and continues post-release. Our inside/out model bridges incarceration to the community and considers all the critical steps in that journey. We prepare and train people for each phase through intensive character development, employment readiness, job creation through entrepreneurship, family programming and case management. We transform people in the community by building awareness and empathy that leads to support and opportunity. These connections heal families, create employment pathways and lower recidivism. The mission of RISE is to break generational cycles of incarceration. It's simple for us. Nebraska is the most overcrowded prison system in the United States. The United States incarcerates more people than the rest of the world. Freedom from cycles of incarceration means people are building wealth for their families, parenting their children and making positive contributions to their community. It means more tax dollars for education, infrastructure and services. Freedom from cycles of incarceration means there are legislative changes to outdated sentencing laws and people aren’t punished because of race or economic status. It means that generational incarceration in families is stopped dead in its tracks. Freedom from cycles of incarceration means improved public safety, available housing, more mental health and substance abuse support, and higher levels of education attainment.
