VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
SEPTEMBER 2014
Ramping Up!
What have we been doing?
It’s time to get ready...
NEWS FLASH!


Presentation to the Western
School Board
Presentation to the SAU
Gainey School of Business
Faculty and students

Presentation to the SAU
School of Education staff

Our Open House is Coming!
Contact us…
These past few months
have been packed full of
meetings, presentations and
fact finding. All to bring us
to where we are today.
Rise Above has truly been
blessed to have been
surrounded so quickly by so
many amazing people and
resources.
As you read
through our first newsletter
take heart in knowing Rise
Above is well on its way to
providing a service that is
dearly needed by the youth
in Jackson County.
The teens in Jackson County have been
longing for an organization
like Rise Above for many
years, and parents and
students have made it clear
that our services will be
eagerly utilized.
Neil and Veronica have been very busy these past
months with all sorts of meetings, presentations, and
preparations.
Here are just a few of the things they have been up to:

5o1c3 was finalized in late August by the IRS.

Formation of a Board of Directors (positions still open)

Finalized the lease for the facility that Rise Above will be
using at 936 Fleming in Jackson with the Jackson County
Board.

Neil and Veronica have been meeting with Western and
North West Schools working to complete arrangements and
to start helping students in the new year.

Neil has been meeting with different community leaders
talking about education and social issues that youth in
Jackson are struggling through everyday.

Neil and Veronica have become members of many different
community based initiatives in Jackson County which have a
focus on youth.

Neil and Veronica have also been working everyday since
the middle of August 2014 to clean and prepare the
building at 936 Fleming for students.

They have also been Working on any one of the many...
many forms and documents that are required to run a Not
for Profit of this type.
Phone
517-817-9123 (Veronica)
517-817-9124 (Neil)
Email
[email protected]
Website
Coming Soon!
Address
936 Fleming Avenue
Jackson 49201
There are still ways to get involved...
Rise Above is still looking for
people like you to assist us just
once or twice a week with
volunteer positions in our class
rooms.
If you have a passion for
youth, education, and mentoring
we have a place for you.
time to Rise Above and impacting the life of a teen in
Jackson.
If volunteer time is
not an option but you still
want to help Rise Above,
would you please consider
helping in one of these ways?
Whether it is four or forty

hours per week we would love for
you to consider donating your

Pray for our ministry
Assist with funding. We
require approx. $5500
per month to operate.

Computers. We need
“new” computers for our
students.

Sponsor one of our
classrooms as a group or
individual.

If you have other ideas
please give us a call!
Letters and testimonials from our
staff and volunteers
These past months have been a rollercoaster ride
of excitement as we have met with dozens of people, organizations, institutions, and foundations.
I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone again
for your help in making these connections, and for making Rise Above such a joy to develop and launch.
What's up next?
We will be continuing to meet
with School Boards, donors, and community leaders to ensure that Rise Above is
ready for the new year.
I am so very thankful for all of your support,
encouragement, and hard work. I smile as I think of
your dedication to what I thought was my vision for
youth in Jackson… Know I know my vision was your vision
as well.
Thank you all again, and God Bless.
Neil Fernandes
CEO
Rise Above
How did we get such an amazing building?
Many months ago when we first learned of this
facility in Jackson we did not know where it was or how to
find it. Neil asked relentlessly around in his circle of friends
and contacts and soon discovered the full address and who
owned it.
Neil began to pray that he would have the opportunity to talk to people in the County about who currently
resided in the facility and if it was possible to be considered
for a lease.
After a few months, a meeting was arranged with
the County Facilities office to discuss Rise Above and what
our intentions would be for the building. The meeting went
far better than was expected and a verbal agreement was
made that Rise Above would be supported at the County
Board level for a long term lease.
In July Neil made a presentation to the Jackson
County Board Finance Sub-committee and this committee
unanimously agreed to have Rise Above lease the Building
In August, this offer was brought before the full
County Board for a vote where Rise Above was given another unanimous “yes” vote for a two year lease at $100
per year. Amazing!
Our Facility at 936 Avenue Fleming In Jackson Michigan