Why We Should Care About Programs that Lift Neighbors Out of Poverty

 

Jessica Smith, the director of RISE for the Drew Lewis Foundation in Springfield, Mo., joined us online March 19, 2026, for Neighboring 101. You have to watch the video to learn more about RISE.

But after listening to her program, I thought it was also important to write a blog to explain why anyone should care about programs like RISE that help people escape poverty..

Caring about the RISE program matters not only because it helps individuals and families move toward stability but because it also strengthens the neighborhoods we all live in. Programs like RISE don’t just change individual lives; they change the social fabric of communities.

At its core, RISE helps people move from surviving to thriving. Participants in the program work on personal goals related to employment, financial stability, education, and healthy relationships. They do this through coaching, classes, and a supportive peer community. When people gain stability and confidence in these areas, the effects ripple outward.

That ripple effect is where neighboring begins.

When individuals have greater stability—steady work, financial literacy, stronger relationships, and a clearer sense of purpose—they are far more able to participate in community life. Instead of being isolated or overwhelmed by daily challenges, they have the capacity to build connections with others. That might mean knowing their neighbors, checking in on someone nearby, volunteering, or participating in neighborhood activities.

In other words, healthy people help create healthy neighborhoods.

Programs like RISE also build something that communities often lack: social capital. Participants build relationships with mentors, peers, and community partners. They learn to trust others, ask for help, and support one another. Those skills don’t stay inside the classroom. They carry into apartment complexes, streets, workplaces, and churches.

Someone who experiences a supportive community through RISE often becomes someone who creates supportive community elsewhere.

There’s another important way RISE connects to neighboring: it helps us rethink how we view our neighbors. Many of the people in RISE are individuals working hard to overcome barriers—financial hardship, limited opportunity, or difficult life circumstances. When we see programs like RISE in action, it reminds us that our neighbors’ stories are often more complex than we realize.

That perspective encourages empathy.

Instead of seeing people only through the lens of their struggles, we begin to see potential, resilience, and the value of walking alongside others. Good neighboring isn’t just about friendliness; it’s about recognizing the dignity and possibility in the people who live around us.

RISE also demonstrates something important about community change: transformation happens through relationships. The program doesn’t simply deliver services; it creates a network of support where people learn together, encourage one another, and celebrate progress.

That same relational approach is exactly what makes neighborhoods stronger.

So why should you care about RISE?

Because when people grow, neighborhoods grow. When individuals gain stability and confidence, they are better able to contribute to the places where they live. And when communities invest in programs that help people thrive, the benefits extend far beyond the participants themselves.

Programs like RISE remind us that neighboring is not just about borrowing tools or sharing meals. It’s also about creating communities where people have the opportunity, support, and encouragement to move forward.

And when that happens, everyone benefits.

Written by David L. Burton

MORE INFORMATION

Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com or visit his website at http://engagedneighbor.com.