About Us
A community-rooted nonprofit for East Mississippi students
Rise Above Poverty Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through education, mentorship, and opportunity. We believe every student in our region deserves a fair shot at a brighter future — regardless of family income, ZIP code, or background.
Our History
Founded on a simple belief: talent is everywhere, opportunity is not
Rise Above Poverty Inc was founded in Meridian, Mississippi by a group of educators, alumni, and community leaders who saw a familiar story repeating itself. Bright, motivated students would graduate high school with big plans, only to watch those plans fade because of a few hundred dollars they didn't have — for a testing fee, a textbook, a security deposit, a bus ticket, a laptop, or the gap between financial aid and total cost. We started this organization because we refused to accept that outcome.
From humble beginnings, our small group grew into a coordinated effort that now touches schools, families, and businesses across East Mississippi. Every year we come back to the same north star: keep our promises to students, keep our overhead low, and keep our roots in the communities we serve.
Mission & Vision
What we work toward every day
Mission
Rise Above Poverty Inc provides scholarships and educational support to deserving students throughout East Mississippi, helping them overcome financial barriers and pursue higher education, career training, and opportunities for a brighter future.
Vision
A future in which every East Mississippi student — regardless of background — has the financial resources, mentors, and confidence to complete an education that leads to meaningful work, economic stability, and lifelong opportunity.
Core Values
The principles that guide every decision
Student-First
Every program is measured by whether it actually helps students enroll, persist, and graduate. If a policy stands in the way of a student, we revisit the policy.
Community-Rooted
We are of East Mississippi. Our board, volunteers, and alumni live here, work here, and are invested in the long-term health of our region.
Transparent Stewardship
Donors trust us with their gifts. We honor that trust with clear reporting, low overhead, and a commitment to putting the majority of every dollar into student support.
Equity & Access
We work hardest for students who have historically been overlooked: first-generation, rural, low-income, and non-traditional learners.
Whole-Student Support
Money alone does not create graduates. We pair scholarships with mentoring, workshops, and community connections so students never feel like they are navigating alone.
Continuous Learning
We listen to students, families, and educators, and we update our programs based on what actually works — not what looks good on paper.
Why Educational Equity Matters
Zip codes should not dictate futures
East Mississippi is home to some of the most resilient, hard-working students in the country. Our region is also home to persistent economic inequality — the kind that quietly decides which young people can afford application fees, campus visits, and the deposit required to hold their spot at a college. Educational equity means recognizing those hidden costs and ensuring that talent, not household income, is the deciding factor in a student's future.
We take a broad view of equity. We support students entering four-year universities, community colleges, technical and trade programs, apprenticeships, and career certificate tracks. We believe that every one of these paths is worthy, and every one of them creates stronger families and stronger communities.
Community Commitment
Rooted in East Mississippi
We partner with high school counselors, community college advisors, faith leaders, small business owners, workforce development boards, and civic clubs across the region. Those relationships are how we find students who deserve our help — and how we keep our work honest.
Schools & Counselors
Our staff and volunteers work directly with high school counselors to identify students and support their applications.
Employers & Trades
Local employers help us design programs that lead to real careers in nursing, skilled trades, education, and technology.
Faith & Civic Groups
Churches and civic groups host workshops, sponsor scholarships, and refer families we might not otherwise reach.
Our Approach
Direct support, delivered with dignity
Our approach is intentionally simple. First, we listen — to students, families, teachers, and employers — to understand what actually blocks students from completing their education. Then we design programs that address those specific barriers. Finally, we measure results honestly, share what we learn, and adjust when something isn't working.
We meet students where they are. That might mean an evening FAFSA workshop after a parent's second-shift job ends. It might mean paying a testing fee the week before a deadline. It might mean a mentor who takes a phone call in the middle of a rough week. None of it is flashy, all of it matters.
Future Goals
What we're building next
- • Expand scholarship funding so no eligible East Mississippi student is turned away for lack of dollars.
- • Grow our mentor network to at least one mentor for every scholarship recipient.
- • Launch a dedicated career-training scholarship for workforce credentials.
- • Publish transparent annual reports for every donor and community partner.
- • Build a robust alumni network that funds and mentors the next class of students.