Together We Rise was founded in 2008 by California college students after they discovered a classmate’s cousin was living out of a car. The students wanted to help but were denied at government organizations because they were under the age of 21, so they created this nonprofit to give young adults, former foster youth and the public at large the opportunity to help children in America’s foster care system. Every state in the nation has hosted at least one Together We Rise event, with all supplies and donations remaining local. Together We Rise at UW-Madison is an on-campus subsidiary of the national nonprofit that helps bring the organization’s mission to the university, the city of Madison and the state of Wisconsin.
The organization’s main programs include providing foster children Sweet Cases, which are personalized duffel bags decorated by volunteers that include a teddy bear, blanket, hygiene kit, crayons and a coloring book; the Build-A-Bike program, in which volunteers can take part in building bikes for youth exiting the foster care system; a Reuniting Siblings at Disneyland program, where 200 youth in care can meet up with siblings who may be in different placements or counties; and a Family Fellowship program, a five-year scholarship program that provides exiting foster kids with tuition support, dorm supplies, academic assistance, mentoring, housing allowance, monthly care packages, counseling and summer camp.
“In the long term, we hope to be able to provide Sweet Cases for as many children as possible,” says Together We Rise executive assistant April Posadas. “We have set a goal of 10,000 Sweet Cases this year and we’re on track to surpass our goal. We have college interns all over the nation that work as our on-the-ground team.”
Anyone, anywhere can host a fundraising event for Together We Rise to help support local children in foster care. In addition, monetary and Sweet Case items are always appreciated. To learn more about volunteering, donating, hosting a fundraising campaign or sponsorship opportunities, call 714-784-6760, email info@togetherwerise.org or visit togetherwerise.org.
