A RiSING Community is a community benefit event with specific focus on providing support for those most in need. We are empowered with a model of achievement through collaboration and we encourage everyone with shared interests to join the cause to combine our efforts.

We believe that with an integrated and united effort we can help those in most need RiSE from the existing conditions with a greater chance to succeed at being productive and thriving members of society.

There are three components to A RiSING Community: 1) A Delightful Feast, 2) RiSING, and 3) Community.

1) In the feast, we share nutritious, gourmet and organic cuisine with homeless citizens delivered in the style of restaurant-service.

We are conscious of quality nutrition for biological health and environmental sustainability in conducting our events.

We source ingredients from local health conscious supermarkets, farm-friendly produce markets, and farmer’s markets using the highest level of nutritional knowledge and quality food ingredients that we would gladly serve at our own dinner tables; combined with contextual knowledge of the people we serve to deliver a healthy and satisfying culinary experience with a good balance of variety and nutrition. We believe that quality does not need to be sacrificed even when serving people in need because in order to RiSE out of these conditions people must be properly cared for to give them the best chance of RiSING.

We use biodegradable disposable dishes and utensils made from renewal resources such as wheat straw, sugar cane fibers, bamboo, or potatoes to minimize the impact of our events on the environment. We also employ strategies for recycling inorganic materials as well as composting organic waste.

2) The RiSING aspect adds practical necessities which can include: Reduced Fee CA DMV ID forms, Birth Certificate request forms, Basic Medical/Holistic Health Screening & Referrals, Government Assistance Programs qualification and education, Critical-Use Items for survival, and Donations to support Homeless Pets.

3) “Community” unites people from all walks of life including artists, students, professionals, local residents, and families in concerted effort to engage in a collective experience of shared presence and creative expression.

A.R.C. is a part of our Phase I holistic evolution in which we provide basic life necessities to people in need directly on the streets. Our objective here is to connect with the people and learn more deeply about the specific context of this homeless community at Civic Center Santa Ana, CA. Only in seeking a profound understanding of the circumstances will we be able to begin brainstorming powerful and relevant ideas to relieve these conditions. We believe the knowledge and experience gained in helping this specific community can be used to develop a working model to relieving homelessness here in the U.S. and ultimately expanded to relieve poverty across the globe.

A significant component to the success of helping individuals RiSE out of homelessness is the ability to stay connected with those we help and to ensure that individuals to whom we dedicate our resources maintain a RiSING trajectory.

We have also implemented an awareness survey to help us gauge the general public’s level of understanding on the topic of homelessness and seeking to further expand consciousness of the conditions of global poverty. These surveys are also completed by homeless citizens in order to help us increase our understanding of the specific needs of citizens living on the streets.

The purpose of these surveys are multi-fold:

(1) collect valuable social/demographic information to help us discover patterns to help alleviate homelessness at its roots

(2) identify specific needs of individuals and open a dialogue to better understand homeless people as individuals with unique needs

(3) provide a means of staying in touch with the people we serve and support individual progress

Our goal is to centralize these services in local permanent facilities within impoverished communities, continuing the Phase I direct outreach approach while evolving our ability to deliver services with increased efficiency and measured effectiveness through Phases II & III.

Help Us. Help Others. Thrive.