Blog
ACTION ALERT:Tell Senators to override Pillen's Veto on ending the SNAP Ban
‘I draw the line at withholding food from someone as a form of consequence.’
Nebraska Senators must override Gov Pillen’s food assistance veto
Yesterday, Governor Pillen vetoed LB319, Senator Victor Rountree’s priority bill to end Nebraska’s lifetime Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) ban for people with certain drug felony convictions.
Joint statement on passage of LB319 - a bill to end the SNAP ban in Nebraska
Today, May 14th, 2025, the Nebraska Legislature voted to pass LB319, by and large ending the lifetime ban on SNAP benefits for people with one set of felony convictions.
“I act cool, but I’m scared.” Being in Community.
“I am an abuse survivor.” Keith is reading the words written on the picture of a blank face off the crumbled up piece of paper he just picked up off the floor.
21 men are sitting in a circle in the big room at Sozo Coffeehouse in downtown Omaha where Randall leads a monthly men’s wellness coffee.
Union Pacific Hosts RISE Reentry Simulation at Omaha Headquarters
Union Pacific in Omaha, Nebraska hosts a RISE Reentry Simulation.
“The RISE reentry simulation was an incredibly impactful event for our team. It built a profound awareness of the challenges that justice-impacted individuals face, an awareness that I am confident our team will carry with them for many years to come.”
While reentry can never be fully understood without personal lived experience, creating a learning experience can, at the very least, encourage empathy and avenue for change.
Aaron Pettes: First of All with Victor Blackwell on CNN
LB20, passed in April, was not new and not radical. It represented 8 years of advocacy and resilience to change the hearts and minds of legislators across Nebraska. We know Nebraskans believe in second chances. We stand with those affected and will keep advocating and working to make change.
RISE Able to Help More with CHI Grant
RISE is a re-entry program with a mission to help people both inside and outside prison get back on their feet.
"We're helping them with housing, employment, healthy relationships, building a healthy peer community of others who are navigating carceral systems and coming home," said Jeremy Bouman, CEO of RISE.
RISE Graduates Volunteer
At ISE we are building a volunteer opportunity service for RISE Graduates who want to give back! One of the recurring things we hear is, “I want to give back but nobody will give me a chance.”
Real Reentry: He’s Come so Far
When Ray returned to the community, he struggled like so many do. Addiction took over and he lost touch with us. He went back to prison. But he came back home, he reached back out, and RISE was here. We'll always be here if they're ready.
Real Reentry: Up the Ladder
Evan graduated from RISE's In-Prison Program in June and has spent the last several months working with his RISE Community Navigator, Cody, as he transitioned down to the community correctional center.
King of King Church Gifts RISE with Generous Donation
RISE is delighted to announce the generous gift of $10,000 from King of Kings Church in Omaha, Nebraska. The generosity of King of Kings will allow for RISE’s Community Navigation team to provide hygiene essential packs to RISE graduates returning home after incarceration.
Real Reentry: Moving Up
RISE not only opened a reentry office in Lincoln last month but also moved from the second floor of the Blackstone Plaza to the fifth floor. September was…wild, chaotic, thrilling, sweaty, hard, beautiful, and joyful.
Real reentry: not giving up.
At 18, Les was homeless, jobless, and had very few personal belongings - he came to our office wearing his county-issued shower shoes. Les was and is...alone. He's 18. A kid. Alone.
Les was paired up with Jon, a RISE Case Manager, who began working compassionately to determine his greatest needs.
Real reentry: Keep Going
Like so many others, "Ben" didn't win this particular battle of addiction when he came home the first time. He served 2 more years back in prison. But his army, RISE and this community of ours - YOU - didn't stop having his back.
REAL REENTRY: FAMILY MATTERS
Research has shown that staying connected with family while incarcerated is wildly beneficial. It improves health, behavior, and can reduce the likelihood individuals will return to prison after being released.
I Can Actually Be Something
“The blessing of taking RISE has given me just the littlest hope that there is life outside of lockup.”
Welcome Home: Real Reentry
Reentry is crisis. It's not uncommon to have a roof over your head one day and the threat of it being gone the next. Access to housing can help improve public safety, as research has shown it is correlated with decreases in crime and recidivism.
RISE In-Prison Program Making a Significant Impact
In February of 2022, RISE launched a pilot in-unit program at the Nebraska State Penitentiary where program participants live together in an intentional learning community while attending classes five days a week.
It's the little wins for us. Real Reentry.
Andy is currently taking the Business Essentials portion of RISE's In Prison Program while finishing his time at a community corrections center. He's dyslexic and has never received assistance or treatment for his learning challenges.
RISE Business Academy 2022: Being a Part of the Business Community
In 2022 we held two RISE Business Academy (RBA) cohorts and one graduation with seven graduates. 11 of our 19 program graduates currently have their businesses in operation.
Dr. TJ Dickson became the Director of the RBA in July 2022. She facilitated Cohort 5 and graduated the largest cohort thus far.