RISE in Lincoln: Give to Lincoln Day 2025

FundraisingCommunity
Written By McKenzie Ring

Give to Lincoln Day 2025

Give to Lincoln Day is Thursday, May 29th and your support can go even further.

On May 29th, 2025 every donation made to RISE through Give to Lincoln helps amplify our mission to break the generational cycles of incarceration.

Thanks to a $650,000 challenge match from Lincoln Community Foundation and local sponsors, your gift has a greater impact.

At RISE, we invest in second chances through in-prison programming, reentry support, family strengthening, and entrepreneurship training. Your generosity helps us continue this vital work in Lincoln and Lancaster County.

Lincoln is Home

Image of the RISE Lincoln, NE office with the text "Did you know 1/3 of RISE graduates return to Lincoln upon their release? It's not just a city to return to...it's home."

Did you know 1/3 of RISE graduates return home to Lincoln upon their release?

That means that a substantial number of our released graduates work, live, and play in the Lincoln/Lancaster County area.

Lincoln is not just a city, second office location, or an afterthought. Lincoln is HOME, too.

By giving to RISE, your contribution will ensure that our graduates are equipped to thrive in their home.

Business Owners in Lincoln

RISE Business Academy graduate giving her business pitch.

At RISE, we believe in the power of second chances and in the potential of justice-impacted individuals to succeed as business owners!

Your donation directly supports RISE Business Academy graduates who are building small businesses right here in Lincoln. These entrepreneurs are creating jobs, serving their communities, and breaking generational cycles through innovation and resilience.

Family Healing in Lincoln

In Lincoln, the RISE Family Program meets weekly to provide critical support to families impacted by incarceration. From strengthening parenting skills and trauma healing to building financial literacy, this program helps families navigate reentry together and flourish. On Give to Lincoln Day, your donation supports this family-centered programming that uplifts not just individuals, but entire households.

Workforce Development in Lincoln

In 2024, RISE implemented its first two CORE workforce development cohorts in Lincoln, serving justice-impacted individuals preparing to reenter the workforce from community custody. The 14-week program focused on soft skill development...communication, problem-solving, boundaries, and integrity helping participants graduate with new tools and confidence. CORE helps individuals recognize their worth, pursue livable-wage careers, and lead in the workplace.

This Give to Lincoln Day, support training that leads to opportunity, dignity, and transformation.

Will you invest in Lincoln reentry?

Donate today!

“Give to Lincoln Day, coordinated by Lincoln Community Foundation, is a time when everyone in Lincoln is asked to make a donation toward the organizations that are critical to the care, support and spirit of our great city.  

Every donation between May 1 and May 29 makes a bigger impact because participating nonprofits also receive a proportional share of a $650,000 match fund made possible by LCF and generous sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor, West Gate Bank.”

McKenzie Ring

McKenzie Ring has over 20 years of experience helping businesses and organizations reach maximum audiences for growth. Specializing in social responsibility, digital marketing, photography, and content creation, McKenzie uses that experience to educate the public and grow a network of volunteers, donors, employers, and support for people returning to the community after incarceration.

Specializing and trained in documentary-based work, McKenzie has been an award-winning Midwest photographer and content creator for much of her professional life. She is passionate about bridging unlikely communities and building empathy through storytelling.

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836 In-Prison Program Graduates and Counting