A Message from Our Interim Executive Director

My name is Ernest Stellingwerff, and I serve as the Interim Executive Director at Rise Up Recovery. As many of you know, Tiffany Neuharth has stepped down to dedicate more time to her family and her new endeavor, Lionheart Wellness & Recovery, where she provides addiction counselling services. It is a privilege to assume this role following Tiffany’s impactful leadership, and I am committed to carrying forward the valuable initiatives she created while she served at Rise Up Recovery.

Certain core values will remain unchanged, including our strong biblical foundation and reliance on faith to facilitate healing and freedom from addiction. Individuals seeking assistance are welcome to choose their own path, and while we do not impose our faith on anyone, our commitment to our mission is inspired by our Christian faith, which has been key in the recovery journeys of many of our staff and others within our community.

Our mission will also remain unchanged:

“Rise Up Recovery provides recovery services that empower people to

rise up into a meaningful new life through the development of impactful connections with God, community, and self.

'Redeeming Lives; Restoring Dignity.'”

This mission continues to drive all aspects of our organization. Three elements from this mission statement are particularly noteworthy:

1. First, we focus on empowerment, providing individuals with tools and resources rather than doing recovery for them.

2. Secondly, our aim is to help each person “rise up into a meaningful new life.” Our goal is to move people forward to a life of purpose and fulfillment.

3. Finally, achieving this transformation depends on fostering lasting connections—our intention is to support the creation of relationships that continue beyond someone’s time with us.

While our mission remains at the heart of our work, ensuring the sustainability of our organization is also essential. The phrase “no money, no mission” serves as a reminder of this reality. Since the expiration of our government grant in August 2025, Rise Up Recovery has operated at a loss for many months. Though we have a reasonably healthy cash balance and have implemented various cost-saving measures, identifying alternative funding sources is critical for our continued ability to serve our community.

A focus on additional funding sources has become even more important due to recent fraud allegations involving some organizations in our state and the resulting political uncertainty impacting government support for Minnesota public programs. In fact, with some fraudulent organizations being shut down, organizations like ours - who are fully committed to the values of integrity and excellence - have had an even greater need to fill. Our desire is to do that with honesty, transparency, and a focus on mission.

You can support the Rise Up mission by joining us to help individuals overcome substance use disorders. Your investment helps support ethically driven, mission-focused services that empower individuals, drive measurable change, and create lasting connections. When you invest in Rise Up Recovery, you are helping to “redeem lives and restore dignity”.

Ernest Stellingwerff

Interim Executive Director