Organize a Drive
Would you like to help us collect things our neighbors need?
We would be thrilled for your help! Rise is always in need of volunteers to organize food or product drives throughout the year. Here are some ideas for things our neighbors need.
You can help us collect these All-Year Needs:
Food including fresh and non-perishable items
Baby Supplies including wipes, diapers, and baby food (not formula)
Personal Care Items including shampoo, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, razors, and deodorant
Bedtime Items including pajamas, toothbrushes, toothpaste, books, and stuffed animals
Anything Else… if you have an idea for a drive, we’d love to hear about it.
Everything collected is packaged and distributed to low income families in our local community.
You can help us collect these Seasonal Needs:
Winter Coat Drive (December-January) – You can help our neighbors by collecting new and gently used winter coats, hats, gloves, and scarves for adults and children.
SpringTime Spruce Up Drive (March to May) – You can help our neighbors who need all kinds of personal care items that we package together and distribute.
Summer Camp Drive (March-June) – You can ensure that our Rise Summer Camp has a wishlist of items to supplement our existing supplies – including small musical instruments, arts and crafts, sporting equipment, beach-related items like pails, shovels, etc., board games, classroom supplies, and first aid items.
Backpack Drive (June-August) – You can help our local students have needed school supplies that they can’t afford. We collect and fill backpacks with age-appropriate items, including insulated lunch bags, pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, glue sticks, highlighters, Sharpies, crayons, pencil sharpeners, calculators, SD cards, scissors, tape and Post-it Notes.
Book Drive (June-October) – You can help us encourage kids to read more by collecting books for all age groups of kids. The more the better because all books collected are offered to clients whenever they are in the office and are given to kids at the Rise Summer Camp.
Thanksgiving Food Drive (September-November) – You can help all of our neighbors enjoy Thanksgiving. In one of our biggest efforts of the year, we provide hundreds of low-income families with a basket of food, including a turkey for Thanksgiving, vegetables, fruit and so much more. Volunteers are needed to collect food and pack and distribute baskets so that each family in our community can enjoy a Thanksgiving that brings joy to their whole family.
Getting your food drive started is easy, click here for more information.
Holiday Gift Drive and Adopt-A-Family Program (November-December) – You can help us ensure that all of our local children have a happy holiday season. Rise coordinates a holiday party with the Junior League of Greater Princeton and distributes over 1,000 holiday gifts to local children in need. Each child is registered and is matched to an incredibly kind sponsor, who can even ‘Adopt-a-Family’ and purchase presents for all. This program is a lot of work and we rely on a dedicated team of volunteers to ensure that each child experiences a little joy during the holiday season and each parent has a small burden lifted from their shoulders, knowing their kids will have presents to open.
