RISE, Stand Strong merge to serve survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence
Two local organizations that support survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence, RISE SLO and Stand Strong, merged July 1, with a goal of making it easier for survivors to find services.
The new organization will provide “shelter, therapy, advocacy, legal services and other support” to survivors like its predecessors, according to a news release.
“Together, we will provide more seamless services to those in need while combining the strengths of both programs,” organization CEO Jennifer Adams said in the release.
Both organizations supported survivors of intimate partner violence, but RISE served the North County and Stand Strong served the city of SLO and the South County. This worked in the 1970s when the North and South counties had cultural differences, but now the differences are less prominent, and people confused the two organizations, Adams said.
Survivors weren’t sure which organization to contact for support — especially if they lived in one end of the county but worked in another. Donors confused the two organizations as well.
“RISE would receive checks for Stand Strong and vice versa,” Adams said.
The organization has one 24/7 crisis and information hotline at 805-545-8888, with offices in the City of SLO, Paso Robles and Grover Beach.
“Things are going to be so much simpler,” Adams said.
Staff at both organizations will keep their jobs, and will have more opportunities for growth within the larger operation, Adams said.
The new organization’s leadership includes Stand Strong executive director Jennifer Adams as CEO, RISE executive director Jane Pomeroy as chief program officer and Stand Strong’s associate director Karen Borges as chief operations officer.
The team will reveal their name and logo at a branding celebration July 14 from 4 to 6 p.m., which will be live-streamed on the Facebook pages of both RISE and Stand Strong.
“Everyone has a singular focus, and that is providing services to victims of sexual assault and intimate partner violence,” Adams said. “To have all those people and all that energy come together to make sure that victims don’t feel alone, and that they get what they need, that’s just amazing to me.”
This story was originally published July 1, 2021 at 9:59 AM.
