Who We Are

With the increase in more and more Stafford neighbors who are finding themselves without long term stable housing, what can we, as a community, do to help? That is the question that was asked in Stafford County in 2023 amongst multiple non-profits, organizations, agencies and community leaders.

From that question, action was taken. Multiple groups and individuals got together and started to see what resources were available, what help was needed, and where the problems being faced were most seen to be occurring at.

With the help of multiple pre-existing non-profits in the area that focused on our unhoused neighbors, this group of community support came together and found out the best place to start. The hotels/motels of Stafford County. This was where a lot of foot traffic was seen coming and going, and several neighbors who were struggling to make ends meet would do what they could to get one or two nights out of the elements.

With this, the gathering of community support came together with multiple hotel/motel owners and managers and decided to use them as a launching point for overwhelming support and assistance to those in need. This group of community members, organizations, groups, agencies, and individuals decided to have a name. That name would be Stafford R.I.S.E.

This name was chosen to be an acronym for “Rebuilding Independence through Support and Empowerment.” This is because we are not trying to just provide food, clothing, and handouts to those in need. We are trying to build a relationship with our unhoused neighbors and help them find a way to creating their own independence and stable living with support and empowerment. The true power of Stafford R.I.S.E. is the volunteers who have access to experts, resources, and assistance programs at the drop of a hat to help unhoused neighbors schedule appointments, get signed up for benefits, and tap into the vast pool of support services Stafford has to offer.

So regardless if it’s financial hardships, bad credit, substance abuse troubles, language barriers, or anything in-between. We are a hub of connection and support to provide resources and encouragement to use those resources to take those next best steps towards a stable life and steps away from true homelessness.