RISE INCORPORATED

WHEN RISE WAS FOUNDED, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES HAD FEW CHOICES: STAY HOME ALL DAY, MOVE TO AN INSTITUTION, OR ATTEND ONE OF THE FEW WORKSHOPS PROVIDING PRODUCTION-LIKE JOBS. THE GOAL OF THE RISE FOUNDERS WAS TO GIVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES A GREATER RANGE OF CHOICES THROUGH TAILORED VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES IN ANOKA COUNTY, INCLUDING CENTER-BASED SERVICES AND LIFE ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMING. SINCE RISE'S FOUNDING IN 1971, OUR SERVICE AREA AND OUR POPULATIONS HAVE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE DIFFERENT GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES.IN 2023, RISE SUPPORTED 2,472 PEOPLE THROUGH EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT ASSIST PEOPLE IN OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO ACHIEVING THEIR GOALS. OF THOSE 2,500 INDIVIDUALS, 64% PARTICIPATED IN EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, 26% PARTICIPATED IN LIFE ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, AND 10% PARTICIPATED IN HOUSING AND COMMUNITY LIVING PROGRAMS. DESPITE ITS LONG HISTORY AS A DISABILITY SERVICE PROVIDER, RISE PROVIDES SUPPORTS FOR MANY DIFFERENT GROUPS: PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS (35%); PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (51%); PEOPLE WITH HEARING DISABILITIES (7%); PEOPLE WITH BRAIN INJURIES (2%); PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES (5%) AND OTHER GROUPS. DEMOGRAPHICALLY, 20% OF PEOPLE THAT RISE SUPPORTS ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR. ABOUT 10% OF PEOPLE ARE YOUNG ADULTS (17-24 YEARS OLD); 34% ARE OLDER ADULTS (50+). GEOGRAPHICALLY, 80% OF PEOPLE LIVE IN THE SEVEN-COUNTY TWIN CITIES METRO, WITH THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS IN ANOKA, WASHINGTON, AND NORTHWEST HENNEPIN COUNTIES. 3% LIVE IN WESTERN WISCONSIN. 20% LIVE IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA (ST. CLOUD AND THE EAST CENTRAL REGION), AND 2% IN OTHER PARTS OF GREATER MINNESOTA.IN 2021, RISE MADE THE DECISION TO END ITS SPECIAL MINIMUM WAGE PROGRAM, WITH A PLANNED END DATE OF APRIL 1, 2024. TO MEET THIS GOAL, IN 2023, RISE SUCCESSFULLY ENDED SUB-MINIMUM WAGE WORK AT 2 OF ITS 3 REMAINING SITES OFFERING THIS TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT, CEASING WORK AT OAKDALE AND NEW RICHMOND. WE ARE ON TRACK TO END SPECIAL MINIMUM WAGE WORK AT OUR FINAL SITE IN ADVANCE OF OUR 2024 DEADLINE. RISE SPENT 2023 INVESTING IN DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES. IN 2023, 323 PEOPLE ACROSS RISE PROGRAMS STARTED NEW COMPETITIVE JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY, EARNING AN AVERAGE WAGE OF $15.72 PER HOUR AND WORKING ON AVERAGE 23.41 HOURS PER WEEK. WE HOSTED OUR FIRST-EVER EMPLOYER FORUM, WITH OVER 100 EMPLOYERS ATTENDING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT. RISE ALSO INVESTED IN NEW SITES FOR SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT TEAMS (SETS). A SET IS A COMMUNITY-BASED WORKSITE WHERE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES EARN A COMPETITIVE WAGE WORKING AT AN EMPLOYER ALONGSIDE NONDISABLED EMPLOYEES, WHILE RECEIVING SUPPORT AS NEEDED FROM A DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL ON SITE. RISE OFTEN ALSO PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION TO THESE SET SITES, WHICH ALSO HELPS ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT. EXAMPLES OF NEW SET SITES INCLUDE: NVENT, CUMMINS, PENTAIR, BIX PRODUCE, HOM FURNITURE, INTEGER, AND MANY OTHERS.IN RISE'S LIFE ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, RISE CONTINUED ITS SPACE CONSOLIDATION, REALLOCATION, AND REHABILITATION SO THAT WE CAN BETTER SERVE PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. WE ENDED OUR LEASE FOR OUR STILLWATER SITE, MOVING MOST PERSONS SERVED TO OUR OAKDALE LOCATION, WHICH HAD ADDITIONAL SPACE ONCE CENTER-BASED WORK HAD ENDED. WE COMPLETED RENOVATIONS AT ANOKA, FOREST LAKE, AND COTTAGE GROVE TO MAKE OUR BUILDINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE, SAFER, AND MORE DIGNIFIED. RISE WAS FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING FOR THESE RENOVATIONS. FINALLY, THANKS TO A GRANT FROM THE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA, RISE AND THE YMCA OF THE NORTH BEGAN AN AMBITIOUS TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT THAT SEEKS TO USE INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECTION TO COMBAT LONELINESS BY BRINGING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND SENIOR CITIZENS TOGETHER AT THE YMCA. THE PROGRAM STARTED IN THE SUMMER OF 2023 AND WILL CONTINUE INTO 2025.FINALLY, 2023 WAS A YEAR OF VICTORIES IN ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. IN 2023, RISE'S DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT, DAN MEYERS, WAS APPOINTED TO THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON THE COMPENSATION, WELLBEING, AND FAIR TREATMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY DRIVERS. HE HELPED ADVISE THE STATE OF MINNESOTA ON ISSUES RELATED TO DISABILITY TRANSPORTATION AND USE OF RIDESHARE LIKE LYFT AND UBER. RISE, ALONGSIDE OTHER PROVIDERS, HAD SEVERAL VICTORIES ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DURING THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THESE VICTORIES INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS IN MINNESOTA'S DISABILITY SERVICES SYSTEM WHICH WILL SUPPORT RISE'S ABILITY TO PAY COMPETITIVE WAGES TO OUR STAFF. THE LEGISLATURE ALSO PASSED AN INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR EXTENDED EMPLOYMENT SERVICES, OF WHICH RISE IS A MAJOR PROVIDER IN THE STATE.