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 r...

  Are lower-income households more or less likely to connect with neighbors? The honest research answer is: it depends what you mean by “connect,” and what kind of neighborhood you’re comparing.   Studies consistently show that income shapes the type of connection people have, how far their networks reach , and how much trust and “shared expectations” exist on a block. Here’s what the evidence suggests. What large surveys suggest in the U.S. When researchers ask broad questions like “Do you know your neighbors?” or “Do you trust your neighbors?”, higher-income Americans tend to report higher connection and trust . A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that some groups are more likely to know and trust most of their neighbors , including upper-income Americans . Pew also reports that more affluent and more educated respondents are more likely to say they do helpful, relationship-building things for neighbors. So, on standard survey measures of knowing/trusting/helping, u...