Statistics about at-risk youth in American tell a worrisome story.
Thousands of children age out of foster care without a permanent family every year, the Children’s Defense Fund reports. Moreover, the average stay of a child taken into a foster home is 19 months, the organization states.
This leaves young people without a stable foundation during their developmental years and can lead to critical gaps in their knowledge, adds Sandy Pricer, founder of RISE UP Cooperative, a Chattanooga-based nonprofit that teaches teens life skills.
Pricer includes other sobering figures in a pamphlet describing the societal challenges that motivate her organization – not because she wants to alarm people with dour statistics but because she wants others to understand teens are more than a number.
“Every child’s future is important,” she says. “Pouring everything we have into even one young person affects generations.”
Pricer’s inspiration for RISE UP began at home, where she and her husband are bringing up three biological children and three adopted siblings.
“There were things our biological children had learned from watching us that were beyond the understanding of the children we were trying to adopt,” Pricer explains. “So much is lacking for kids in foster care when it comes to the things most children in a stable home learn, whether it’s watching their parents cook or listening to mom and dad discuss the household budget.”
Armed with a background in social work and a network of people with experience to impart, Pricer formed her nonprofit in September and named it after the kinds of individuals she hopes to help young people become: responsible, independent, strong, empowered, upstanding and productive (RISE UP).
Although her vision included a dedicated space where RISE UP and other nonprofits could serve teens, the pandemic forced her to take a grassroots approach to getting her endeavor off the ground: Instead of raising money, buying a building and hiring staff, she turned on her computer.
From there, Pricer hosts weekly Zoom seminars during which guest speakers discuss a relevant topic and answer questions from the young people in attendance ask. Presenters typically speak from an area of personal or professional expertise, whether it’s a police officer, a member of the military or an attorney.
“Because the speakers are passionate about the topic they’re sharing, they’re able to present the material in a way that grabs the kids’ attention,” Pricer notes. “It’s been amazing to watch.”
To date, the most popular sessions have been the ones that covered financial literacy and overcoming obstacles, Pricer says.
Although Pricer initially intended to reach out to local youth, the online format has attracted teenagers from several states away, including Colorado and Ohio. Pricer has also brought in speakers from outside the Chattanooga area, including California and Pennsylvania.
The latter guest was a police officer who spoke about the dangers of online predators. Pricer felt the immediate impact of the presentation when one of her own teenagers said the session opened his eyes to the hidden threat.
“He said he had no idea people on the internet would do those things,” she recalls. “My husband and I had explained that to him at one point, but it took someone else telling him that for his eyes to open.
“That was a profound moment for me because I knew there must be other teens like him.”
To date, RISE UP has hosted more than 30 workshops and reached in excess of 70 children between the ages of 13 and 17, Pricer reports.
Although pleased with the progress RISE UP is making, Pricer still has her eyes on her original vision, which includes a building of her own. To bring this to fruition, she hopes to launch a capital campaign this summer.
“While there are several places we could meet and work, there are so many nonprofits in Chattanooga, none of them have availability,” Pricer says with a moan. “So, my next big goal is to find a place, buy it and then rent space to other nonprofits that work with children or teens.”
Like the youth who attend RISE UP’s sessions, Pricer says she’s being careful to not forge ahead before learning the skills she needs to succeed. So, she’s employing the know-how of her board chair, Chattanooga Community Kitchen chief operations officer Dr. Jimmy Turner.
“He’s been in the nonprofit world for decades, so he’s been an amazing help,” Pricer says. “I’ve worked for nonprofits, but I’ve never ran one, and I’m learning as I go.”
Turner says he’s confident in Price’s leadership of RISE UP.
“In the short period of time RISE UP has existed, Sandy has demonstrated the initiative and tenaciousness needed to properly fund the agency while maintaining an approachability that makes her the right fit to run the program,” he writes in an email. “Given her success in raising funds and building a support network, I’m confident she’ll quickly secure a physical location for the life skills classes to take place.”
Should Pricer secure a brick-and-mortar home for RISE UP, she plans to expand its service offerings. At the top of her list is a one-on-one mentoring program.
“Girls Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters have incredible mentoring programs, but we need more. So many kids don’t have a parental mentor in their lives.”
Until then, Pricer is encouraging people to spread the word about RISE UP, which meets on Zoom every Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“Please help me help others prepare for tomorrow,” she implores.
Email office@riseupcooperative.org to register and learn more at www.riseupcooperative.org.