Union Pacific Grant Fuels RISE Workforce Programs in Nebraska

Employment
Written By McKenzie Ring

Union Pacific’s Community Ties Giving Program Awards $10,000 Grant to RISE to Fund Workforce Development in Nebraska

September 30, 2025

OMAHA, Neb. - RISE is proud to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from Union Pacific’s Community Ties Giving Program to strengthen its workforce development efforts and expand opportunities for justice-impacted individuals seeking long-term career success.

For more than 160 years, Union Pacific Railroad has fueled economic growth by prioritizing workforce training, employment, and support for underrepresented communities. Through its community grants, Union Pacific invests in programs that put youth on track for family-supporting careers, prepare adults for middle-skill jobs, and remove barriers to employment such as transportation, childcare, and second-chance opportunities.

“RISE is honored to partner with Union Pacific as we continue to build pathways to sustainable employment and entrepreneurship,” said December Muhammad, Director of Employment Services, RISE. “This grant will allow us to expand our second-chance pilot program and enhance workforce development initiatives to ensure that more of our participants can transition from entry-level work into long-term, meaningful careers.”

Funding will support RISE’s comprehensive employment services, including one-on-one job placement assistance, professional development, and resources for program participants such as workforce attire and supplies. It will also help RISE host community events, training sessions, and employer engagement opportunities that equip employers with best-practice tools when becoming a second chance employer.

Through its employment services, RISE equips justice-impacted individuals with the knowledge, skills, and professional connections necessary to overcome barriers to reentry. By partnering with employers committed to second-chance hiring, RISE provides more than traditional job placement—it builds sustained pathways of desistance and creates safer, stronger communities across Nebraska.

About RISE

RISE is the largest nonprofit in Nebraska focused solely on habilitative programming in prisons and reentry support. With a mission to break generational cycles of incarceration, RISE prepares and supports individuals through character development, leadership, workforce readiness, reentry services, and entrepreneurship. Learn more at www.seeusrise.org.

About Union Pacific Railroad

Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP). Union Pacific links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical connection to the global supply chain. For more information, visit www.up.com.

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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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