RISE moves into new building

The Yuma office of Resources for Interdependence and Self Empowerment (RISE) has just moved into a new home.

The new facility is at 1030 W. 24th St. in what used to be the Women's Health Specialists building, which has been completely renovated.

According to its Web site, RISE is a nonprofit organization that specializes in home- and community-based support services for children and adults with developmental and other disabilities, children with mental health challenges and aging adults.

"We currently provide services in Utah, Oregon and Arizona," said Daniel Garcia, Yuma program coordinator for home care services.

"Here in the Yuma office, we have quite a few programs to help the special population and people with cognitive disabilities. In our home program, we serve many different types of people, including a diverse group of individuals with varying long-term care needs of all ages."

According to its Web site, RISE works to support people in daily living activities, providing companionship, accompanying them to community events, teaching them skills, supporting or customizing employment and foster parenting.

Garcia said RISE seeks to help individuals stay self-sufficient.

"If a person has a debilitating disability caused by a birth defect, physical injury or chronic disease, we care for them in their homes instead of them having to be placed in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes. Our goal is simple, and it's to provide quality and professional care to people in order to keep them independent while still residing in their home."

Garcia said the new building will help RISE help others more efficiently.

"It is a central location and we felt we would be able to serve a more diverse population by being here. The building is unique because half is being used for administrative purposes and the other half is used for a day program, which is for people 18 and above."

Garcia said the new facility is a vast improvement over the previous location.

"The new building is completely different. It is like day and night. This has been a dream come true. We have been in the Yuma community for 14 years, and we've planted a seed and watched it grow. We are very hopeful we will continue to grow and the building is going to bring bigger and better things to the Yuma community."

Garcia said the organization invites the public to come in and see the facility for themselves.

"We welcome anybody from the community to come in and tour our facilities and to ask for information about us and what we do."

For more information, call 783-8771.

Chris McDaniel can be reached at cmcdaniel@yumasun.com or 539-6849.