Our active Community Engagement department facilitated a flurry of spring partnerships with exciting indoor and outdoor activities. Rising Ground staff also attended presented at events, sharing knowledge, and making connections.

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Mekhi’s Journey from Risk to Resilience

At just 20 years old, Mekhi faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge—a potential 7-to-10-year prison sentence after being charged with possession of a loaded firearm. This wasn’t the first time Mekhi had encountered hardship. As early as age 10, he experienced racial discrimination by police officers, planting seeds of mistrust in the judicial system and fostering deep anger and frustration toward law enforcement.

Mekhi was referred to Rising Ground’s Atlas program and has been receiving
therapy, equipping him with skills he now applies to his daily life. 

Read Mekhi’s full story here.

Coverage of the openings of our Trauma Recovery Center and The Yard – East Flatbush Family Enrichment Center, advocacy in Albany, and young leaders being recognized and more is featured in our March 2025 newsletter.

Read the full newsletter online here.

Sign up to receive our monthly news emails here.

Help Support Runaway & Homeless Youth 

As New York City’s largest provider of Transitional Independent Living services for runaway and homeless youth and with a Crisis Shelter and two Drop-in Centers, Rising Ground provides thousands of young people aged 16-24 with crucial respite, beds, and other educational and health supports to help them find positive pathways forward.

But there is an ongoing practical need that you can help us to meet!

This spring (April, May, and June) we are requesting donations of toiletry and personal care items, undergarments, socks, and outerwear to support over 4,000 youth in our Runaway & Homeless Youth programs. These items may seem small but can make a significant impact on a young person’s daily life. 

View List of Items

How to Help

1. Shop for items at Amazon

Visit our Amazon Wish-List and purchase items directly. 

Please select the Rising Ground address (Rising Ground – Racquel Jones) to have the items shipped directly to us.

2. Organize a donation drive at your company/place of worship/community group or organization.

Contact Sharon Pyle at SPyle@RisingGround.org or 212-437-3551 for more information or to arrange pick-up of your collected items.

Your support can boost the confidence of homeless youth, helping them get back on their feet and regain a sense of normalcy in their lives.

Thank you!

The Yard – East Flatbush Family Enrichment Center to Hold
Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, March 22 at 11 am
at 3521 Church Avenue

For residents of East Flatbush curious about what is going into the street level space at 3521 Church Avenue, all will be revealed on Saturday, March 22 when The Yard – East Flatbush Family Enrichment Center opens its doors.

The Yard – East Flatbush Family Enrichment Center (FEC) is one of 30 FECs launched by the Administration for Children’s Services in New York City. Although operated by Rising Ground, a trusted and longstanding human services nonprofit at the forefront of meeting the critical needs of New Yorkers, everything about the FEC — including the name, the physical layout, and the offerings it provides — is co-designed with families and community members. Participation is voluntary, free, and open to all community members. At the centers, families and children can connect with neighbors, volunteer their time, participate in various events and activities, and access resources and supports they need to thrive.

Read the full Press Release here.

View The Yard Linktree here.

Rising Ground to Open a New Trauma Recovery Center
Supporting Survivors of Violent Crime in East Flatbush

Grand Opening celebration to be held on
Wednesday, March 19 at 10:30 am at 3521 Church Avenue

Rising Ground will open a new Trauma Recovery Center (TRC) at 3521 Church Avenue in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn focused on providing support, including mental health services, to victims of violent crime.

Rising Ground’s East Flatbush TRC was launched in August 2023 providing services virtually and in the community. To date it has supported 160 survivors. The opening of the new physical location at 3521 Church Avenue will allow the TRC to expand its reach in the community and provide on-site care. Led by Director Gerardine Cadet Mareus, the East Flatbush TRC houses three therapists, a community support coordinator, and a holistic healer. Services are available in Haitian Creole, Spanish, and English. The TRC can also provide onsite childcare for clients in session.

Read the full Press Release here.

View TRC Flyer & Referral code here.

Coverage of our historic statue move, a tour of our new admin head office, a preview of our Gala, and raising awareness of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and more is featured in our February 2025 newseletter.

Read the full enewsletter online here.

Rising Ground, a trusted and longstanding human services nonprofit at the forefront of meeting the critical needs of New Yorkers, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rakesh (Rick) Jain and Dr. Colleen Griffin Wagner to its Board of Directors. Mr. Jain is a Manhattan-based Partner and Global Head of Private Credit at investment firm Pantheon. He is also a member of the firm’s global credit and international investment committees. Dr. Griffin Wagner is Vice President for Residential, Adolescent, & IDD Services at the Center for Family Services that provides services throughout New Jersey.

“It is my pleasure to welcome Rick Jain and Colleen Griffin Wagner to Rising Ground,” said Matt Del Percio, President of the Board of Directors. “For nonprofits to operate at their best, they require a committed and engaged board, and both Mr. Jain and Dr. Griffin Wagner bring to us a wealth of knowledge, professional expertise, and a mission-driven focus. They will help us to continue our vital life-affirming work providing children, adults, and families in the New York City area with the resources and skills needed to rise above adversity and positively direct their lives.”

Mr. Jain said: “I’m honored and grateful to have the opportunity to work closely with the team and Board members at Rising Ground. Having worked in New York City for over 30 years now, I’m especially excited to contribute to the vital work being done to support mental and health-related services for local children and families. Rising Ground’s commitment to improving lives and fostering well-being is truly inspiring.”

Dr. Griffin Wagner said: “I have been impressed by Rising Ground’s robust offering of services and programs serving the most vulnerable children, adults, and families across New York City. There is a passionate commitment by the Board of Directors to support a network of over 2,100 dedicated staff in delivering high quality services as a force for positive change for the individuals we support and advocate for. I look forward to joining this competent, compassionate, and skilled group of individuals to further the mission of this remarkable organization.” 

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Rakesh (Rick) Jain is a Partner and the Global Head of Private Credit at Pantheon and a member of the firm’s global credit and international investment committees. Since joining the firm in 2019 to build and lead the firm’s dedicated private credit strategy, the business has grown to become one of the largest providers of credit secondary solutions capital to private credit fund managers and investors globally. Throughout his career prior to Pantheon, Rick gained experience as a direct credit investor across a range of strategies, including unsponsored and sponsored direct lending, special situations and distressed, asset-based finance, specialty finance, mezzanine, and control/minority private equity. Previous roles include as a Managing Director and investment committee member at private credit firms including Stone Tower Capital (acquired by Apollo), Star Mountain Capital and Citigroup Alternative Investments. Rick began his career in the Financial Institutions Group at Morgan Stanley. A native of Toronto, Rick received a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance (Honors) from McGill University.

Dr. Colleen Griffin Wagner, Ph.D., LMHC, LPC, ACS, NCC is a Licensed Counselor with a PhD in Mental Health Counseling.  Dr Wagner is an adjunct Professor of Psychology at Pace University and currently serves as the Vice President of Adolescent, Residential, and IDD services for Center for Family Services, a leading non-profit social services provider throughout New Jersey.  Dr. Wagner has served as Executive Director of Guardian Adolescent, a detox and residential substance use treatment facility, Director at the Renfrew Center treating individuals with eating disorders, senior clinical staff at Westchester Medical Center’s acute inpatient Behavioral Health Center, and served as a Director at St. Christopher’s Inc., a Residential Treatment Center for adolescents with chronic behavioral, emotional and psychiatric challenges.  Dr. Wagner currently sits on the Board of Saint Joseph Medical Center Senior Housing Development Fund Corporations and Elizabeth Seton Children’s Foundation. Dr. Wagner served as a two-term elected Trustee for the Village of Pleasantville and was a previous board member for the Sisters of Charity of NY and Hudson Valley Bank Business Development & Foundation.  Dr. Wagner resides in Philadelphia, PA.

Moving our historic statues, raising awareness of Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the latest issue of ‘Rising” feature in our January 2025 newsletter.

Read the full enewsletter online here.