Get invested in the Rise Annual Appeal

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It’s the time of year when we reach out to the community and ask for support for Rise.  Your support helps us continue our vital mission of revitalization in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.  Please take a moment to read a letter from our President, Stephen Acree, as you consider making a gift to Rise:

What kind of neighborhood did you grow up in?

What kind of neighborhood do you want your children, grandchildren, nieces and
nephews to inherit?

At Rise, we believe that neighborhoods should be safe, vibrant, and friendly. We know that the most successful neighborhoods include a diversity of incomes, cultures and lifestyles and are rich in amenities like grocery stores, restaurants and schools.  Our work strengthens neighborhoods and communities, making successful neighborhood revitalization possible. We would like to share with you what we have accomplished in the past year:

  • We celebrated the first new residents moving into their new homes at Emerald Ridge in East Alton, where we are developing 46 new single-family homes to replace deteriorated and obsolete barracks-style housing that was built for munitions plant workers during WWII
  • In all, we had 116 homes and apartments under development
  • Our “Rise Up Festival” brought the most people ever together for a fantastic family friendly event celebrating community revitalization
  • We provided capacity-building technical assistance to 12 community-based nonprofit organizations, applying our expertise to help them achieve sustainable success

As much as we have accomplished, we have as the old song says, “Only just begun.”

With your help, we can make St. Louis a city with more of the kind of vibrant neighborhoods that can sustain regional economic growth.  We can build on the success factors of diversity, accessibility and vibrancy that we already see in some of our neighborhoods to extend their success to other areas of our region.

What will it take to do this and how can you help?

It will take creation of places and spaces that respond to community needs and that’s what we at Rise do best.

By the way, did you know that Rise was named “Best Worthy Cause of 2014” by the Riverfront Times? The cause is worthy and we need you to continue our mission of enhancing the quality of life in our communities and making St. Louis a great place to live, work and play.

Please invest in the future of our community by giving generously to Rise.

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Executive Director and President

To make a secure one-time or recurring donation to Rise,  please click the Donate Now (PayPal) button.  Please note: The PayPal form requires that you spell out “Saint Louis” rather than “St. Louis.”  If you have difficulties utilizing the PayPal form, contact Larry Perlmutter.

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Rise Open House is a Crowdpleaser

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What do you think was most popular at the Rise Open House on 12.5.2014?

a. The fantastically brilliant colors the new office space boasted.

b. The warm and friendly greeting guests received from the staff.

c. The awe inspiring before and after photos of the work Rise has done in revitalization.

d. The spectacular toasted ravioli.

e. Schnickelfritz.

If your answer was “e.”, you are correct! Schnickelfritz bottled beer from Urban Chestnut Brewing Company was at the top of the list.

Although the brew was sublime, so were the people that attended the open house/gallery opening.  A very diverse crowd  was in attendance ranging from Bankers to Builders, to Abstract Expressionists and Architects.  There were some very interesting conversations and social interaction was constant right up to 9 PM.  It was our opportunity to show off our new office space and to share an event with our next door neighbors, the Des Lee Gallery.  It was wonderful to see so many people who the understand the importance of revitalization in our community.  We would like to send out a heartfelt thanks to everyone who made it to the party, especially on such a rainy night!

Happy Holiday’s from Rise and please visit us anytime.

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Rise YP Roasting & Toasting – Great Entertainment

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The Roasting & Toasting Party hosted by the Rise YP’s on 11.7.14 was full of great entertainment, great drinks and mouth watering Galettes.

Beth Diamond prepared the Galettes with a little help from her friends. Her gregarious personality was only overshadowed by the “to die for” taste of her Galettes. Wow! Beth Bombara serenaded us with her Americana style original material, DJ Chris Bay played the groovin’ tunes when Beth was breaking (and eating a Galette), and the Rise YP’s hosted, roasted and toasted like only they know how! Special thanks to Paula Gaertner and the Thomas Dunn Learning Center. Keep your eyes and ears open for the next Rise YP event!

 

Rise Young Professionals Prepare New Markets Tax Credit Application

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With substantial assistance from its Young Professionals Board, on October 1, 2014 Rise submitted an application for a $30 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation.

Administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions fund, the New Markets Tax Credit program was established by Congress in 2000. The program permits investors to receive a credit against their federal income taxes for making qualified equity investments in designated community development entities. In turn, those entities must re-invest the equity investments in low-income communities.

Rise YP Board members, quarterbacked by Rise intern Alex McDonnell (Washington University 2015 JD/MBA candidate), and with invaluable oversight and direction from Rise Board chairman Jonathan Goldstein, spent hundreds of volunteer hours writing, editing, brainstorming, and advising the organization on the preparation and submission of its FY 2014 NMTC application. Comprised of young community development industry leaders in law, banking, government, finance, social services, neighborhood development, and market analytics, the Rise YP Board is armed with a mosaic of talented individuals equipped to tackle complex tasks. The brainpower of the members is second only in impressiveness to their generosity!

A NMTC allocation would allow Rise to facilitate investment into priority business lending and facilities development in the aggregate amount of $30 million. These investments would provide hundreds of new, accessible jobs in low-income communities, help to fill vacant commercial and industrial spaces, advance the vitality of critical commercial corridors, and catalyze additional private investment.

There is no doubt that, but for the assistance and leadership of its YP Board, Rise’s NMTC application endeavor would likely have never come to fruition – and would certainly not have achieved such a high level of quality. Rise will learn next summer if its application is successful.

Rise would like to say a huge “thank you” to its Young Processionals Board members for their hard work, diligence, and commitment to our mission of revitalization.

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