Rise, a nonprofit providing social services in the Hightstown/East Windsor area, celebrated the grand opening of its new home office location with a ribbon cutting ceremony and housewarming party.
Attendees on Oct. 14 included clients, board members, donor partners and local artists. The mayors of two municipalities served by Rise, Larry Quattrone of Hightstown and Janice Mironov of East Windsor, were present to commemorate the occasion, according to information provided by Rise.
Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 94 celebrated as the building at 219 Franklin St. in Hightstown that was purchased by Rise was home to their union for many years. The many renovations were completed almost entirely by local contractors, according to the statement.
Rise Executive Director Leslie Koppel kicked off the housewarming party thanking all of those who’ve dedicated so much of their time and resources to making this dream a reality for the organization and for the community, according to the statement.
The official ribbon cutting was done by the president of the Rise Board of Directors, Nancy Walker Laudenberger, surrounded by Rise friends and family.
“We are so proud of the work that our community has done to turn this building into an inviting place for our clients, a comfortable space for our staff, and a beautifully restored piece of Hightstown history,” Koppel said in the statement. “Thanks to the hard work of so many, this space, which was once a synagogue and then a meeting house, will continue to serve as a gathering place for years to come.”
Rise, founded in 1967, strives to be the hub of social support services in the Hightstown/East Windsor area, building a productive, cohesive environment where families thrive and feel valued, safe and optimistic about their future, according to the statement.
In addition to U Rise Powered by PenFed, Rise also operates the Rise Pantry, the social-enterprise Rise Thrift Store, the Rise Academic Enrichment Summer Camp, and many other programs.
To learn more about Rise, visit njrise.org.