RISE Alumni Association
Connection to community.
ABOUT THE RISE Alumni Association:
The RISE Alumni Association (RAA) ensures an individual’s connection to RISE and the community continues long after graduation or returning to the community. By fostering relationships, peer support, and ongoing stability, the program offers practical life-skill classes on topics like homeownership, renters rights, and so much more.
“I don’t want alumni to feel like they’re just another name on a list or someone we only reach out to when we need something. I want them to know that I genuinely care about how they’re doing—the good, the bad, and everything in between.
What means the most to me is watching people reconnect, find community, give back, and eventually become someone who supports the next person coming behind them. My own lived experience helps me understand the importance of having people who will show up, listen, and keep it real.”
Randall Robbins, RISE Alumni Coordinator
Individual Impact:
The RISE Alumni Association provides a lasting community of trust and belonging, offering continuous access to housing guidance, job support, and practical life-skills. Alumni gain the confidence to ask for help proactively.
Community Impact:
Engagement in the RISE Alumni Association sustains strong connections between returning citizens and community support systems dramatically boosts reentry success, keeping recidivism below Nebraska’s 28.4% baseline.
442
RISE ALUMNI
TO DATE
9
IMPACT VOLUNTEER EVENTS IN 2026
100+
alumni impact volunteers
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
All RISE program graduates.
Includes graduates from:
RISE In-Prison Program graduates
RISE Business Academy graduates
RISE Youth and Family Program graduate
RISE CORE Graduates
HOW DO Qualifying People Join?
Qualifying members of the RISE Alumni Association will be informed during their reentry services onboarding process and after they’ve graduated from their RISE program.
RISE’s Alumni Coordinator, Randall Robbins, will also be in direct contact with those who can join.
Classes
Habitat for Humanity: Home Journey Program
What: Learn about preparing and qualifying for homeownership and the steps to buying a home.
When: Offered periodically throughout the year.
Who Can Attend: RISE alumni and eligible participants interested in homeownership.
Sign-up: RSVP when announced.
Renters: Know Your Rights
What: Learn about leases, deposits, landlord responsibilities, eviction, and your rights as a renter.
When: Offered periodically throughout the year.
Who: RISE alumni and eligible participants.
Sign-up: RSVP when announced.
RISE Alumni Leadership – Coming Soon
IMPACT VOLUNTEERING in the Community:
Monthly volunteering opportunities alternating between Omaha and Lincoln Nebraska.
Social Activities:
Reunions, wellness coffee hours, cookouts, activities, and pro-social events.
RISE ALUMNI CLASSES in the Community:
Monthly classes focused on leadership, communication, personal growth, mentoring, and giving back led by RISE staff and alumni.
Upcoming RISE Alumni Events
Questions?
Email Randall Robbins, RISE Alumni Coordinator
NEED DIFFERENT SUPPORT?
If the RISE Alumni Association is not the best fit for you and/or your family, we work to connect individuals with other community resources, including but not limited to:
Metro Community College 180 RAP (Reentry Assistance Program), "Long Term Relief," a group that functions similarly to a "lifers group" as it is specifically tailored to individuals who have been incarcerated for 10+ years and/or served multiple sentences. Another group called "Doin' Life (Not Time)" meets weekly for anyone who has ever been incarcerated.
RISE Programs
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In-Prison Program
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Employment Program
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Youth + Family Program
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RISE Reentry Services