Helping Families Thrive & Grow
Every family is unique and has both joys and challenges. Rising Ground is here to provide the support people need to build upon their strengths and address adversity in times of need. From helping parents improve their parenting skills to making sure they have enough to eat, from résumé writing to reuniting families, we are here to provide support to those who need it most. Because when you strengthen a family, you help create more vibrant communities.
Programs That Promise Success
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FAMILY STABILITY
Intimate Partner & Gender-Based Violence Prevention
- SURVIVORS & THEIR FAMILIES
- NYC
From Healing to Promoting Healthy Relationships
Therapeutic & Other Survivor Supports (STEPS)
- Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence & their families
- All NYC Boroughs
Helping Survivors Heal
Our intimate partner violence cadre of programs is committed to both healing for those who have been impacted by intimate partner violence and the prevention of further instances of abuse through education, advocacy, and support. We work with survivors of intimate partner violence and their families, as well as provide targeted support for criminalized survivors.
Foster Care & Adoption
- Children up to 21 and their families
- All NYC Boroughs
Fostering Nurturing Families
Our Foster Care program focuses on giving children the safe, stable home they deserve while we repair their families. To ensure the well-being of children, we provide the services needed by the birth family. About 65% of our children safely go home again. For those who can’t, we help them create new families with adoptive parents.
Support for People Who Cause Harm
- Community members who could cause harm in relationships
- Brooklyn & Bronx
Preventing Harm and Promoting Healthy Relationships
Our Respect + Responsibility program works with members of the community who wish not to cause harm in their relationships. We work with groups to examine how trauma, social structures, and stress can lead to harmful or abusive behavior and work to envision what healthy relationships can and will look like, focusing on respect and accountability.
Mother & Child Program
- Teen mothers in foster care & their children
- The Bronx
Supporting Young Mothers as They Become Parents
Teen mothers in foster care learn parenting skills, from diapering and bathing a baby, to how to read with their child or setting boundaries. While learning to be nurturing parents, our moms are also building the self-confidence needed to move forward in their own lives.
Preventive Services
- Families with children 0-18
- Bronx, Brooklyn & Manhattan
Building Strong, Nurturing Families
Our Preventive Services offer families facing challenges such as domestic violence, substance abuse, or mental illness the support they need to remain together. Using evidence-based models, we help families to build caring relationships and become a stronger unit that emerges stable, strong, and secure.
Fatherhood Initiative
- Non-custodial fathers
- The Bronx
Supporting Fathers to Improve Relationships With Their Children
Fathers, particularly those who do not have custody of their children, explore how to be better parents to their children and partners to the other parent, whether they are in a relationship or not. We work with fathers to explore relationships and provide life-skills and other workshops, as well as referrals to needed services.
EDUCATION & EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES
Elementary (K-6)
- Grades K-6
- Yonkers
Helping Struggling Students Learn
At Biondi Elementary, children with emotional disorders, learning disabilities, and other challenges who were falling behind or not receiving the support they needed have the chance to learn skills to succeed in the classroom – and the world around them. With support from teachers in classrooms no larger than 12 students per class, students learn to improve their self-esteem and build academic skills
Ames Center (Yonkers)
- Children 3-4
- Yonkers
Opening Doors to your Child’s Future
The Ames Center in Yonkers offers standard, special education, and integrated preschool classes to children to learn and grow. Creative exploration and access to a rich array of learning opportunities give them pre-literacy skills and solid self-esteem. Children have the option to participate in our extended day program, which is offered on a sliding scale fee based on family income.
ParentChild+
- Children Ages 18 Months to 4 years
- Bronx & Brooklyn
Helping Parents Nurture Their Children’s Success
Our ParentChild+ program empowers parents to be their children’s first and most important teacher! We bring free books and educational toys to the homes of low-income parents and help them make play a learning experience. Our home visitors show parents ways to incorporate teaching about shapes, colors, numbers, and more.
Middle & High (7-12)
- Grades 7-12
- Yonkers
Enriching Programs That Build Skills
The Biondi Middle and High School provides educational and therapeutic support to both residential and day students who have behavioral and emotional challenges, learning disabilities, or intellectual/developmental disabilities. We help our students overcome severe academic deficits and complete high school, prepared with the academic and vocational tools they need to enter college and career.
Brownell School (Bronx)
- Children 3-4
- The Bronx
Overcoming Challenges to Reach Developmental Goals
The Brownell School in the Bronx offers special education preschool classes that make sure that children with special needs and developmental delays get the opportunity to learn and thrive in an environment that meets their needs. In both integrated and specialized classes, we help children progress toward their developmental goals through play, individual instruction time, and classroom activities. Occupational, physical, and speech therapy, as well as counseling are also provided.
Early Head Start
- Before Birth to 3
- Bronx
Nurturing Creativity & Positive Development
Early Head Start bridges the achievement gap, so children from low-income families can start school with a solid educational foundation. We help their parents with parenting classes and access to services the family needs - from food stamps to ESL classes, from job training or healthcare.
Children’s Learning Center (Manhattan)
- Children Ages 3-4
- Manhattan
Targeted Support to Meet Special Needs
The Children’s Learning Center in upper Manhattan offers special education preschool classes that make sure that children with special needs and developmental delays get the opportunity to learn and thrive in an environment that meets their needs. In both integrated and specialized classes, we help children progress toward their developmental goals through play, individual instruction time, and classroom activities. Occupational, physical, and speech therapy, as well as counseling are also provided.
School Leadership
- Rising Ground Superintendent of Schools
- Biondi Principals
Experience and expertise, dedicated to your child’s success!
The leadership of the Biondi Education Center brings decades of experience and commitment to helping children and teens overcome challenges to learn, grow, and progress toward positive futures. Hear from them!
Admissions & Referrals
- Parents & CSEs
- Enrolling at Biondi
Admissions & Referrals
The Biondi Education Center specializes in supporting students with learning disabilities, emotional disorders, autism, and/or other health impairments, in accordance with each student’s Individual Education Program (IEP). We work with parents, Committees on Special Education, and NYC’s Central Based Support Team to make sure students are in the right environment and receiving the supports they need to succeed.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who attends Biondi?
- What is the Biondi experience?
Frequently Asked Questions
At the Biondi Education Center, students with learning disabilities, emotional disorders, autism, and/or other health impairments are surrounded with the academic and therapeutic support they need. Learn more about the Biondi experience.
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Residential Treatment Center
- Ages 12-21
- Yonkers
Focused Support for Those Who Need It the Most
Our Residential Treatment Center provides 24-hour residential care to youth with mental-health challenges, emotional difficulties, developmental disabilities, and challenging behaviors who require intensive therapeutic and educational support. In a therapeutic setting, residents learn effective problem solving and healthy coping skills, so they can return to a less restrictive environment as quickly as possible.
Homeless & Runaway Youth Services
- Ages 16-21
- Bronx & Brooklyn
From Homeless to Hopeful
Our Transitional Independent Living (TIL) programs in the south Bronx and the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn provide runaway and homeless youth, ages 16-21, with the home they need and deserve. Combining educational, therapeutic, and recreational supports in a supportive residence, we provide youth the stability and guidance so they can look toward the future.
Close To Home Placements
- 12-17
- Across NYC
Creating a Supportive Culture
In our residential programs, court-referred youth get a chance to discover the root causes of their delinquency, examine the choices they have made, and acquire the tools to make better choices. They can start down a new path, one that leads to a productive, healthy life.
RAPP
- Grades 9-12
- Across NYC
Promoting Healthy Relationships for Teens
Our Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (RAPP) is the nation’s largest teen dating violence prevention program. At 17 middle and high school campuses across New York City, we work with young people to help them understand healthy relationships and consent.
Community Schools
- Grades K-8
- The Bronx
A Holistic Approach to Education
Our Community Schools create an environment where all students are encouraged to strive for excellence in a safe and supportive atmosphere. We help students and their families with challenges that teachers and school administrators don't have the capacity or tools to address – everything from on-site counseling to linkage with food stamps and medical services. Trained Social Workers who are on site at the schools daily integrate focus on academics, social services, and extended learning opportunities to improve student achievement.
Aftercare & Mentoring Programs
- 12-17
- Across NYC
Support & Vision for Moving Forward
Our aftercare and mentoring programs work with youth and their families as they leave placement or move past court involvement. Our mentoring work also works with those who are at risk of court involvement or who have engaged in delinquent behavior.
Early RAPP
- Grades 6-8
- Across NYC
Teaching Healthy Relationships Early On
Rising Ground's Early Relationship Abuse Prevention Program provides free and interactive prevention education to 64 NYC Public Middle Schools serving 6th-8th grade. We value evidence-based, trauma-informed, and compassionate prevention education for youth as they begin to explore different types of relationships.
Alternatives & Prevention
- Ages 12-17
- Across NYC
Preventing Disruption in Young People’s Lives
Our alternative and prevention programs work with youth who are at risk of court involvement or who have engaged in delinquent behavior, including those who are experiencing difficulty at home because of such behaviors.
JustUs Diversion for Girls & LGBTQ+ Youth
- Ages 12-18
- Brooklyn
Addressing the Unique Needs of Girls, LGBTQ+ & GNC Youth
JustUs is a gender-responsive diversion program for girls and LGBTQ+ young people who are either involved, or at high risk of involvement, in the juvenile legal system. Our highly skilled team works with young people and their chosen support system to create and follow through with an individualized, holistic plan aimed at helping them thrive.
HEALTH & COMMUNITY SUPPORTS
Residential Services
- Adults
- Yonkers, Bronx, Queens
Options for Independence
Our residences help individuals achieve the greatest level of independence in their lives. Services include up to 24-hour supervision and support, assistance with household chores, life skills training, transportation training, appropriate clinical supports, recreational activities, and opportunities for residents to become an integral part of their community. For individuals who are able to achieve greater independence, we offer the opportunity to live independently in the community by ensuring that they have the specific supports they require.
Children’s Health Home Care Management
- Ages Birth to 21
- NYC
Improving Health Care Outcomes
Our Care Management Services provide a helping hand to families with a child with serious medical or emotional/behavioral challenges. We help coordinate appointments, care, transportation, and medications, while providing guidance on community resources, other services, housing, and school-related issues.
Unaccompanied Migrant Child Program
- UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT CHILDREN UP TO AGE 17
- Westchester
Giving Hope to Migrant Children
Unaccompanied migrant children are sheltered in a nurturing environment where they get nutritious food, clothing, and the opportunity to play and learn. We provide clinical, therapeutic, educational, and case management services, while linking them with family members or other sponsors in the United States.
Soundview Family Resource Center
- Families with Children 5 & Under
- Soundview Bronx
Strengthening Families
At Soundview Family Resource Center, parents and caregivers come together to build a community of support and provide a safety net for families facing any number of questions and challenges. Targeted for families of children under the age of 5, our goal is to ensure that parents and caregivers have the stability, support, and resources they need.
Employment Support
- Adults
- Yonkers, Bronx, Queens
Creating opportunities for work
Our Employment Supports for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities provide hands-on training to develop skills to prepare participants to enter the workplace. Once ready, we work with each person and their family to identify and connect them with meaningful opportunities to put those skills to use in a workplace, whether through supported or independent employment.
Community Based Services
- Ages Birth to 21
- NYC
Fostering Health Where You’re Most Comfortable
Our Community Based Services bring a wide range of mental health, behavioral health, and substance use programs to children, youth, and their families. We work with families to identify needs and create plans, bringing services to you, at home or in the community.
Trafficking Victim Assistance Program
- All Ages
- NYC Area
Moving forward past exploitation
Our Trafficking Victims Assistance Program provides comprehensive case management services for foreign national victims of a severe form of trafficking in persons, potential victims of trafficking seeking Health and Human Service Certification, and their qualified family members.
Day & Community Programs
- Children & Adults
- Yonkers, Bronx
Expanding Horizons
People with developmental and intellectual disabilities create their own individual life plan based on what is important to them. Using this as a guide, our staff help determine what supports are needed to accomplish those goals. We offer a range of day and community-programs to help those we support create meaningful connections and gain life experience and skills.
She Just Let Me Talk
Fifteen-year-old Gabby had a tough time at home with her mother who has bipolar disorder. Then it got worse when both parents went to jail. That’s when Gabby and her brother Dominic were placed in the Rising Ground Family Foster Care Program with Hyacinth, a dedicated Foster Parent. In Hyacinth’s supportive home, Gabby has done well in school and become a much more open and expressive person. Still, she and Dominic look forward to reuniting with their father. The program will help him find housing and a job when he leaves prison. Meantime, to help them stay connected, Hyacinth makes sure they have the opportunity to talk on the phone with both of their parents several times a week.
GABBY
Make Better Choices
Although Justin was just 13, he was facing serious legal charges and believes he could have gone to jail. Instead, he went into the Rising Ground Manida Non-Secure Placement Program, a residential program for youth under 16. Justin receives education, employment training, recreation, counseling, medical and mental health services. The program emphasizes the vital role of peer support and family relationships. Many of the staff know firsthand the effects of gang violence and they provide Justin positive male role models and guidance as mentors. He’s learning how to control his anger and has developed a better approach to life.
JUSTIN
Play in a Smart Way
Teen mom Yoselin wanted the best for her two-year-old son Jayden, but she felt she wasn’t equipped to give him the support he needed. Regretful that she never finished high school, it was her priority to make sure he would do well. She jumped at the chance to enroll him in the Rising Ground Parent-Child Home Program. Twice a week, a Home Visitor comes to their home with books and educational toys. Yoselin learns positive parent-child interactions that empower her to be a part of Jayden’s education. Jayden has quickly developed a love of books and learning and, because of his early start, is on track to do well in school.
YOSELIN
652
children in our early childhood programs
118
youth receive 24-hour support at our Residential Treatment Center
40%
of our special ed preschoolers need fewer or no services when they advance to Kindergarten
Support Children & Family Services
Our Other Service Areas
EDUCATION & EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES
Giving kids a strong start and supporting special needs.