From its inception, Rise Up was envisioned as more than a traditional nonprofit. It was designed as a comprehensive community where mental health services, education, workforce development, entrepreneurship, housing, agriculture, and faith-based support could work together to help individuals achieve long-term stability and independence.

The original master plan (“Village”) envisioned a campus that would include a behavioral health clinic, administration and education facilities, transitional housing, a public farmer’s market, a working farm, community gathering spaces, and other supportive services working together toward one common goal—helping people build healthier and more productive lives.

In 2023, the unexpected loss of Ervin “Trey” LaBostrie III, profoundly changed the direction and the immediate direction of Rise UP’s work.

In the months that followed, Rise UP’s mission evolved naturally. Rather than waiting years for the larger Rise Up vision to become a reality, we chose to begin serving young people immediately through education.

The Trey’s Legacy Education Fund was established to honor Trey’s life by investing in students through scholarships, mentorship, educational initiatives, and community partnerships. Rather than abandoning the original vision, Rise Up chose to begin where we believed we could make an immediate impact.

That decision led to the creation of the Trey’s Legacy Education Fund, an educational initiative dedicated to investing in young people through scholarships, mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement.

Trey’s Legacy serves as the first major initiative of Rise UP Mental Health Sanctuary. While our work currently focuses on expanding educational opportunities and supporting the next generation of leaders, every scholarship awarded, every mentor recruited, and every partnership established represents another step toward the broader vision upon which Rise Up was founded.

Today, it serves as the educational outreach program of Rise UP Mental Health Sanctuary, while the broader vision of Rise Up continues to guide our future.