Who We Are

R’Rise Community Centre is a Black led grassroots not-for-profit organization that operates in the Waterloo Region. Our mandate is to establish and operate a community center to be used for workshops, programs, athletics, drama, art, music, handcrafts, hobbies and recreation. Provide education, counselling and other support services for immigrants and refugees in need, including language instruction, employment training, job search programs, translation services and information programs on Canadian culture. Establish, maintain and operate an employment training center for needy unemployed and low skilled workers. Drafting resumes, searching for employment and preparing for job interviews. Counselling, orientation and referral services in regard to housing matters such as eligibility for housing subsidy program or the location of available housing units. Initiate public education campaigns on issues affecting women, vulnerable seniors, immigrants and refugees. We also conduct surveys or research related to the interests of women, senior’s immigrants and refugees.”

 We also offer a wide range of programs and services to support the health and wellness of the local community.  Since 2020, R’Rise Community Centre has been supporting the health and wellbeing of our local community through:  -Healthy meals for low-income families -English language classes for new Canadians -Youth leadership and active living programs, including job skills development workshops, summer camp, recreational swimming, and soccer. -Women’s Wellness programming including self-defense classes and discussions on violence against women. -Rooming house that provides affordable housing to low-income women and their children who are fleeing domestic violence who are looking to rebuild their lives and support for vulnerable seniors within our communities with referral and support services for seniors.

Our computer classes teach seniors how to use email, browse the internet, and stay in touch with family and friends through social media. The classes are also be tailored to seniors with specific needs, such as those who are vision-impaired or have hearing loss. Additionally, the organization ensures that all of its communication and information technology is accessible to seniors by using large print and high-contrast color schemes, as well as providing captioning or transcripts for all audio and video content.

Our programs inspire people and empower individuals to reach their full potentials regardless of age, race, culture, religion, and other social interests. Our vision is to create the future and the right environment where passion grows, dreams and lives are transformed by personal development. R’Rise Community Centre’s staff and volunteers create safe and friendly atmospheres for all ages and families to participate, integrate, socialize and be empowered. Our programs seek and create enriching activities in the areas of socialization, mentoring, recreation, education and life skills that are designed to promote social connectedness and inclusion, mentor-ship, volunteer-ism