First Chance Fund

Helping young people get it right the first time

The First Chance Fund supports youth-serving organizations, teams, troops, camps, mentoring programs, arts programs, recreational activities, and positive development opportunities that help young people build confidence, discipline, responsibility, belonging, and a healthy sense of identity.

At RISS, we believe reentry work is not only about helping people rebuild after things have gone wrong. It is also about investing earlier — before young people are pushed toward failure, isolation, instability, or poor choices.

That means supporting the kinds of environments that help youth grow in the right direction: summer camp, scouting, mentoring, sports, music, arts, outdoor recreation, leadership development, and other activities that teach young people how to work with others, follow through, manage responsibility, and see themselves as capable.

A young person who has access to positive activities, trusted adults, healthy peer groups, and meaningful challenges is more likely to develop the confidence and structure needed to make better decisions. Those experiences matter. They can shape identity. They can create connection. They can interrupt loneliness, boredom, hopelessness, and drift.

The First Chance Fund exists because prevention matters too.

RISS is built around second chances — but we also believe in helping young people avoid needing one.

What the First Chance Fund May Support

The First Chance Fund may help support:

Summer camp opportunities
Scouting troops and outdoor youth programs
Big Brothers Big Sisters and similar mentoring organizations
Band camp, music programs, and arts activities
Sports teams, leagues, and equipment needs
Camping gear, uniforms, activity fees, and participation costs
Youth leadership and character-building activities
Other positive youth development opportunities aligned with the purpose of the fund

This fund is not limited to one type of organization. The common thread is simple: helping youth and teens participate in constructive, confidence-building, identity-forming experiences that can help them move toward adulthood with more stability, support, and opportunity.

Why This Matters to RISS

RISS works with people who are rebuilding their lives after incarceration, instability, and system involvement. That work has made one thing very clear: many problems that show up later in life begin much earlier.

Not every bad choice can be prevented. Not every difficult path can be avoided. But we can still invest in the conditions that make better choices more likely.

Young people need structure. They need encouragement. They need adults who see potential in them. They need safe places to belong. They need opportunities to try, fail, learn, improve, and succeed.

The First Chance Fund is one way RISS supports that broader vision

Quiet Sponsorship

RISS does not require prominent public recognition for First Chance Fund support. In some cases, quiet sponsorship is more appropriate.

Our goal is not to place our name in front of youth activities.

Our goal is to help make those activities possible.

Residents Giving Back

The First Chance Fund is funded through a portion of resident fees and other designated contributions within the RISS community.

This means that the fund is not simply an outside charitable program. It is also an opportunity for residents to participate in giving back.

One of the core beliefs of RISS is that successful reintegration is not only about receiving support. It is also about becoming an active contributor to the community around you. Residents benefit from the investments made in their own futures, and through the First Chance Fund they help create opportunities for others as well.

When a scout attends camp, when a young musician receives help attending band camp, when a mentoring organization receives support, or when a youth sports team gains access to needed equipment, those opportunities are made possible in part by individuals who are rebuilding their own lives and choosing to invest in the success of the next generation.

The First Chance Fund reflects a simple belief: people who have received a second chance can help create first chances for others.

In this way, the fund becomes more than a charitable initiative. It becomes a tangible expression of community responsibility, civic engagement, and the idea that every person has something meaningful to contribute.