This October has reminded us of something we’ve always known at RISE TOGETHER — real prevention begins with connection.
From classrooms to communities, our team has spent the past month showing up in powerful ways. Facilitating trainings, sharing stories, and deepening relationships that continue to drive our mission forward. And now, we’re closing out National Prevention Month with one of our most exciting announcements yet:
The launch of The RISE Hangout in partnership with the Community Living Room in Appleton.
A New Chapter: The RISE Hangout
For more than a decade, RISE TOGETHER has walked into schools, auditoriums, and community spaces to spark honest conversations about mental health, substance use, and self-worth. We’ve seen firsthand how storytelling builds bridges, how vulnerability sparks courage, and how one shared moment can change everything.
But one truth has always remained:
Young people need spaces where they feel seen, supported, and safe to just be themselves.
That’s why we created The RISE Hangout. A safe, courageous space designed with young people, for young people.
The first RISE Hangout will come to life in Appleton, hosted in partnership with Community Living Room, whose space will serve as the foundation for connection and belonging — a welcoming environment where youth can gather, grow, and feel supported just as they are.
It’s not a classroom or a program.
It’s a movement.
A space to belong.
Built on a Foundation of Connection
The RISE Hangout is part of a larger ecosystem we’ve been building:
The RISE Hangout — the space. A welcoming social hub for courage, creativity, and community care.
RISEpeers — the heart. Youth leading with their stories, voices, and lived experiences.
RISEconnecters — the bridge. Adults, educators, and mentors walking alongside young people to create lasting change. Learn more here.
Together, they represent the heart of prevention — people showing up for one another with honesty, compassion, and hope.
October Highlights: Prevention in Action
This month, our team has been on the move — living out that same mission in classrooms and communities across Wisconsin.
We kicked off RISEconnection Training with teachers from Ripon Middle and High School, creating space for educators to deepen their understanding of connection, bias, and youth voice. The feedback was powerful with teachers sharing how the training inspired them to lead with more empathy and create safer spaces for their students.
We also spent time with incredible youth in Seymour, where stories of courage and resilience reminded us why we do this work in the first place. Seeing students light up when they realize their voice matters — that’s prevention in its purest form.
Each moment this month has been a reminder that the work of prevention doesn’t only happen on a stage — it happens in relationships, classrooms, and now, community spaces like The RISE Hangout.
Rooted in Partnership
Our partnership with Community Living Room is more than a collaboration — it’s a shared belief that healing happens in community.
Together, we’re creating an environment that doesn’t just talk about wellness, it lives it. One that invites young people to show up authentically, encourages adults to listen deeply, and helps bridge the gap between prevention and everyday life.
The RISE Hangout will become a model for what’s possible when connection leads the way. A space that truly embodies RISE TOGETHER’s mission to empower youth, equip communities, and create change through storytelling and lived experience.
Looking Ahead
As we move into the rest of the school year, we’re continuing to expand our programs, partnerships, and impact from RISEconnection Trainings to RISEpeer Initiatives and community events that center youth voice and prevention.
This is just the beginning.
In addition to the Appleton site, RISE is exploring plans to host two additional RISE Hangout locations throughout the Fox Valley, extending this vision of connection and belonging even further. Stay tuned to see where they’ll be.
We’re building a future where prevention is not just a message. It’s a movement. One rooted in connection, courage, and care.
Get Involved
The first RISE Hangout will be Thursday, November 13th.
To learn more, stay updated, or find ways to get involved, visit www.weallrisetogether.org.
Together, we’re creating spaces where young people can connect, learn, grow, and just be. Because when we make room for connection, we make room for change.