The Rising Start Foundation

Partner With Us To Expand Our Culinary & Marketplace Entrepreneurship Lab @ The Rising Start 

Some of the creative and innovative products handcrafted in our Lab and sold by our students at our Mobile Marketplace

About The Rising Start Foundation

Who We Are

The Rising Start Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering neurodivergent youth and young adults (ages 12–22+) in Miami-Dade County. Through our Academic and Life/Workforce Readiness Program, we help individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related developmental disabilities build the confidence, skills, and pathways they need to thrive in school, work, and life.

The Challenge

Too many young people on the autism spectrum are left without support during one of the most critical transitions of their lives—moving from school to adulthood. In South Florida, neurodivergent teens and young adults often struggle to find belonging, purpose, and opportunities to become fully contributing members of our community.

Research underscores this gap: studies (Shattuck et al.) show that youth with autism are at high risk of being disengaged from both higher education and employment within the first two years after high school. In fact, unemployment among adults with ASD is up to 10 times higher than among neurotypical adults, and five times higher than among other individuals with disabilities.

Our Solution

At Rising Start, we’re changing that story. Our programs focus on academic success, independent living skills, social-emotional development, and workforce readiness—helping every participant discover their strengths and find their place in the world. Together, we’re building a more inclusive future—one Rising Star at a time.

                                                                                                                               

See Our Featured Campaigns Below

How Are We Trying To Solve It?

We start early when we can.  Our TRS Middle & High School Micro-Schooling curriculum and after-school programs  laser-focus on  preparing students for the next stage of their journey. During middle school and early high school years we combine core math, language arts, science and social studies with life, and social skills classes to better prepare them for the next stage of the TRS Program.   

As they move through the high school years we integrate entrepreneurship and workforce readiness courses and workshops with their academic studies giving them a head start in prepaing for future employment or further post-secondary training. 

Finally, our recently established Center For Neurodiverse Innovation & Entrepreneurship provides "hands on" tools and experiences for students to discover and explore avenues for innovative entrepreneurial and/or employment opportunities driven by their own very unique interests and talents.

Most of our families need financial support to provide their children with the opportunity to significantly improve their life outcomes.  Check out our featured campaigns at the links below to donate to specific programs or click on the button directly below to fund our Scholarship Program. For more detail visit us at www.therisingstart.org.   Your generosity can make a big difference in an autistic student's or young adult's life...and their families.

                   See Our Featured Campaigns Below                           

We Experiment & Innovate

We have to try something different.  We recently launched our new Culinary and Nutrition Program together with our Neurodiversity Fights Food Insecurity Initiative.  These programs are designed to introduce our participants to the Culinary and Hospitality Industy in preparation for the launch of our Advanced Rising Start Social Enterprise Culinary Project in early 2025.  

Additionally, for February 2025, we are launching our Rising Start-Up Incubator, partly funded by a generous Innovation Grant from The Children's Trust.  The Incubator will provide, innovation & entrepreneurship programs,  start-up development tools and mentoring, culminating in a May 2025 "Showcase" displaying the talents of our participants and providing initial start-up funding to the most promising neurodiverse entrepreneurial teams.