From Our President & CEO

RISE is still a young organization, but has recently celebrated ten years of service to the Memphis and Shelby County community. The longevity of RISE as an organization is not as important as our programs’ impact on our clients. It’s the 400+ families that have been equipped with vital information to make better financial choices, paired with the ability to purchase an asset for the first time in their lives that really matters. It’s the 500 youth who have been encouraged to excel in academics and attend post-secondary education institutions. It’s also the 1,500 employees who have improved their money management skills after attending a Common Cents workshop. Lastly, it’s the efforts made by the Responsible Lending Collaborative, which brings together more than 130 organizations to help end predatory lending practices and educate citizens on how to avoid costly alternative lending traps.

Though small in number, the RISE staff is still a T.E.A.M. that realizes that “Together Each of Us Can Achieve More.” We also hold firm to the belief that “Education + Incentives = Success” for the working poor in our community. This is our equation for success and results. However, we must now determine how we can increase our capacity to serve more citizens and increase our impact on neighborhoods and communities in Shelby County. This is critical point for RISE as we move forward into the next decade. With the guidance of our Board of Directors, our donors and community partners, we will develop a road map for RISE’s future that will continue to expand our reach and support our mission.

We are confident that at the end of the next ten years, that RISE will continue not to be viewed as just a social service agency. That RISE will be an organization that empowers and facilitates financial skill development, that guides low-income families to financial stability with assets to pass on to their next generation.

Linda L. Williams
President & CEO
Email Linda

Shelia Terrell
Chief Operating Officer
Email Shelia