Funds raised support Santa Cruz-based nonprofit Rising International

Santa Cruz, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/22/2015 -- Actor Adam Scott, best known for his role in the NBC sitcom "Parks and Recreation," is donating lunch with him, to help raise funds for the Santa Cruz-based charity, Rising International. Scott, born in Santa Cruz, joins a long list of prizes that all share a "Santa Cruz" theme. The Santa Cruz Celebrity Experience Package, for example, includes lunch with Scott, along with the Santa Cruz Mayor Don Lane, a personal voicemail recorded by Santa Cruz "American Idol" favorite James Durbin, and wine tasting with radio announcer Laurie Roberts of KPIG radio.

It's all part of the Win for Kids raffle held by Rising International. Rising aims to raise funds to launch Safe and Sound a human trafficking prevention and economic development program. Every year, 2.8 million children run away from home in the U.S. Within 48 hours of running away, one-third of these children are recruited into prostitution and pornography, according to the National Center for Exploited Children. The Safe and Sound program is designed to keep foster youth safe from exploiters, as well as give them the opportunity to earn an income as jewelry makers.

"Foster youth are more likely to run away and many become homeless. This puts them at a higher risk to be trafficked," said Carmel Jud, executive director/founder of Rising International. "We're launching Safe and Sound to keep foster youth safe, and give them the skills needed to be successful adults."

Raffle tickets are $20 each or six for $100, and will get you in the drawing for eight different prize packages. In addition to the Santa Cruz Celebrity Experience Package, winners will have the opportunity to choose The Santa Cruz Business Leaders Package, which includes lunch with business investor Kurt Grutzmacher, business strategy coaching from Andy Van Valer, a member of the founding teams at Borland, Starfish, NetFlix and Lightsurf, and lunch with Leroy Elkin, a former vice president of finance at Apple.

Additional prize packages include tours of Santa Cruz by boat, train, zip line or Segway. Professional private surfing lessons top off the Santa Cruz themed prizes. The Win for Kids drawing will be held July 15.

For more details about the raffle visit: http://www.risinginternational.org/winforkids or to purchase tickets call 831-429-Rise (7473)

This raffle is registered with the State of California Department of Justice, Registration # RF0008659. This insures that 100% of the proceeds benefit Rising International's Safe and Sound Program.

About Rising International
Rising International's mission is to end extreme poverty by empowering women locally and globally to find a way out of poverty by running sustainable micro-enterprises.

For more information about Rising International, visit http://www.risinginternational.org

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Designing a Kinder World This Holiday Season

Carmel, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/19/2014 -- On Friday Nov. 28th Carmel Kitchens and Baths will once again transform its kitchen showroom into a stunning global marketplace just in time for holiday gift giving. Holiday shoppers will find unique and meaningful gifts handmade by women living in countries considered to be the hardest for a woman to survive. Countries such as the D.R. Congo where violence against women is used as a war tactic, and Afghanistan where learning to read or write could cost a woman her life.

Every handmade treasure purchased on November 28th will play a role in creating a kinder and safer world for us all. United Nations research shows that when women in developing countries can earn money and educate their children, it triggers an incredible sequence of results. Domestic violence decreases. Family planning increases. Birth rates drop. Infant and maternal mortality are reduced. Nutrition, health, and life expectancy are enhanced. Housing and sanitation improve. More children are in school, including girls, and there is faster economic growth. In other words, the overall health and wellbeing of a society is greatly improved.

Socially conscious shoppers will find a vast array of handmade holiday gifts including: baskets, scarves, table runners, aprons, necklaces, dog collars and leashes; Everything including the kitchen sink! …because all of these global goods will be displayed in Carmel Kitchens and Baths' sensational showroom! Their designer sinks, faucets and cabinets will provide a visually stunning shopping atmosphere.

All these handmade products are made possible by Rising International's women's economic development programs. Rising International is a non-profit that searches the globe for the world's most forgotten women, and empowers them to change their destinies through micro-enterprise.

Marketplace shoppers will enjoy a special performance by African songstress, Adama Abe at 12pm and 2pm. Shoppers will also enjoy complimentary refreshments, fabulous door prizes, and special gifts with purchase.

GLOBAL MARKETPLACE HOLIDAY SALE

Date: Friday, November 28th
Time: 11am to 4pm
Location: Carmel Kitchens and Baths
26386 Carmel Rancho Lane
Near the Barnyard Shopping Center

Details: 831.429.RISE (7473)
http://www.risinginternational.org

About Rising International
Rising International is a non-profit, fair trade organization. Its mission is to contribute to the end of extreme poverty by enabling women, the world's poorest people, to participate in the global economy through micro-enterprise. Rising International creates sustainable businesses for women both locally and globally. To view an inspiring video, featuring Rising's global artisans, Dina Eastwood, Congressman Sam Farr and others, please visit https://www.risinginternational.org/about-us

Media Contact:
Carmel Jud, Executive Director of Rising International
email: carmel@risinginternational.org Phone: 429.RISE (7473)
Carmel Cell: 331.6927
http://www.risinginternational.org

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

A benefit for St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen, Jesus Mary Joseph Home, & Rising International

Santa Cruz, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/05/2014 -- Santa Cruz, CA – On Saturday, November 15th please join Lynn Robinson (Mayor of Santa Cruz), Kevin Vogel (Santa Cruz County Chief of Police), Lex van den Berghe (Contestant from Survivor: Africa and Survivor All Stars) and Brittany Nielson (News Anchor KSBW Action News 8) for the special fundraising event, "A Spoonful of Kindness." The event takes place at St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen and features soup served by notable locals, a raffle, silent auction and a global marketplace for holiday shopping.

The St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen, located on the little known street Mora, is a little known haven from hardship. Providing food, clothing and showers to people living in extreme poverty in Santa Cruz County, the Kitchen is inviting the public to lend a hand by joining with local celebrities to raise much needed funds.

The only place in Santa Cruz County that serves a mid-day meal to the homeless, the St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen was founded by Father Peter Cartoa in 1982. The Kitchen strives to be a place where people in need find a kind welcome, food, and an opportunity to rest in safety. All of this is made possible with just one paid staff member, over 150 volunteers, and the fact that the vast majority of the food is donated by local Santa Cruz businesses and residents. Every weekday over 180 guests of the Kitchen find a daily soup prepared for them by a different volunteer chef and his/her volunteer crew.

Organized by St. Francis Soup Kitchen Volunteer/Board Member, Beatrice Easter, the "Spoonful of Kindness" event will not be short of spectacular raffle and silent auction items. Event attendees could walk away with gift certificates for children's art classes, symphony tickets, bowling lessons, train rides, rounds of golf, massages, dinner at leading restaurants, a hotel stay in Carmel, and a barbecue for 20 people at the beautiful, private Shaffer Park, (courtesy of St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen Board Member Wayne Shaffer).

An added highlight is Rising International's Global Marketplace. Headquartered in Santa Cruz, Rising International supports women artisan groups in over 20 impoverished countries. The organization focuses on working with women in the highest risk situations such as those in refugee camps, those with HIV/AIDS, homeless women, displaced immigrants, former slaves and those in war-torn regions. Beautiful products handmade by Rising's artisans will be available for purchase enabling event attendees to support both local and global people in need.

In addition to benefiting the St. Francis Soup Kitchen, and Rising International, proceeds will also support the Jesus Mary and Joseph Home.

The St Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen is located at 205 Mora Street, just off River Street, in Santa Cruz. Tickets are $25.00 and include soup and 5 raffle tickets.

To purchase tickets: http://www.spoonfullofkindness.brownpapertickets.com

For more information call 459-6712.

If you can't attend Spoonful of Kindness but would like to give the gift of a hunger-free life, please send a tax-deductible donation to: St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen – 205 Mora Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Or visit http://www.stfrancissoupkitchen.org

About St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen and Jesus Mary and Joseph Home
St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen's mission is to express the teachings and love of St. Francis and of the Catholic Church by providing food, clothing, and shelter, with dignity, to the poor and needy people in Santa Cruz. The Jesus, Mary and Joseph Home is a nonprofit shelter for the homeless started by Peter Carota in 1982 when he founded St. Francis Catholic Soup Kitchen. Guests can stay up to 30 days but must be looking for work and housing during that time. The home provides food, clothing, shelter and love to those who are in need.

About Rising International
Rising International is a non-profit, fair trade organization. Its mission is to contribute to the end of extreme poverty by enabling women, the world's poorest people, to participate in the global economy through micro-enterprise. Rising International creates sustainable businesses for women both locally and globally. To view an inspiring video, featuring Rising's global artisans, Dina Eastwood, Congressman Sam Farr and others, please visit https://www.risinginternational.org/about-us

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

You can help and have a chance to win a Pebble Beach Getaway!

Santa Cruz, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/16/2014 -- Just because summer is almost over doesn't mean the fun has to end. Rising International wants to give you one more getaway to look forward to.

This Bay Area-based nonprofit organization is holding a raffle for a VIP getaway to Pebble Beach—not too far, but definitely far enough to make you feel like you're on vacation. All proceeds from the drawing will support Rising America, an initiative to train 100 underemployed women in Northern California to run their own Rising International businesses and earn vital income.

Raffle tickets are $100 each and will get you in the drawing for a 5-day getaway in a stunning Pebble Beach home courtesy of Sanctuary Vacation Rentals for up to six of your friends and family members. This vacation haven is just a short distance away from golf courses and the ocean.

And here's what you can look forward to during your stay: a private farm-to-table dinner courtesy of leading chefs Tony Baker, Executive Chef/Partner at Montrio Bistro in Monterey, and Jeff Jake, former Executive Chef Pebble Beach and current Executive Chef Silverado Resort in Napa Valley. Guests will even have a chance to visit Serendipity Farms and help the chefs select ingredients for the special evening. A custom wine pairing will be provided by Dawn's Dream Winery and Galante Vineyards.

There will be plenty of time to walk off that delicious dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where all guests will be treated to a private tour.

Also on the agenda is a golf outing for four at four spectacular local golf courses: Corral de Tierra, Nicklaus Club, Bayonet or Black Horse, and the Pebble Beach Golf Links, which has been rated the No. 1 public course in America.

And finally, a getaway wouldn't be complete without some sort of detoxification. Portola Hotel and Spa will provide a spa day package.

Only 250 raffle tickets will be sold, which means the chances of winning are great, but you'll have to act fast. To purchase tickets, call 831.429.RISE (7473) or visit http://www.risinginternational.org/getaway

If you don't win, you can still enjoy your summer knowing you contributed to Rising International's Rising America program. This local entrepreneurial program enables individuals, primarily women, to earn an income selling jewelry, fashion accessories, and home decor made by women rising above poverty, war and human trafficking in over 20 countries.

About Rising International
Rising International's mission is to end extreme world poverty by empowering women locally and globally to find a way out of poverty by running sustainable micro-enterprises. For more information about Rising International, visit http://www.risinginternational.org.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm