The Arc Pikes Peak Region and RiseUP: Supporting Choice, Voice, and Belonging
Being included is not only about being invited. It is also about having a say in the choices that shape your life. That is why The Arc Pikes Peak Region is an important part of this year’s RiseUP Elevation Challenge community.
Our September fundraising partnership brings together supporters who care about the rights, choices, and everyday participation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It also creates an opportunity to explain the different roles that advocacy and direct services can play in a person’s life.
Advocacy in the Pikes Peak region
The Arc Pikes Peak Region works to advance the rights and inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Its advocacy services serve El Paso, Park, and Teller counties and include assistance for individuals and families navigating educational and adult-life concerns.
For readers in Colorado Springs and surrounding Pikes Peak communities, that local focus is useful. It helps distinguish a specific advocacy resource from a general list of organizations. Visit The Arc’s website to understand its current services and the appropriate way to request help.
How advocacy and daily support connect
At RiseUP, our Adult Residential Services include options that support daily living, while our Adult Day Programs operate in Denver and Colorado Springs. These are direct-service pathways, not substitutes for independent advocacy.
The connection is the person at the center. What matters to them? What do they want to learn, decide, or participate in? How can supporters make room for their preferences rather than assume what is best?
A fundraising partnership does not merge the organizations, but it can help more people discover both. Someone who encounters The Arc through the challenge can learn about advocacy. Someone seeking RiseUP services can also become aware of an organization focused on rights and voice.
Choose your movement goal and fundraising purpose
From September 1-30, 2026, the RiseUP Elevation Challenge gives participants a month to work toward 5,000 feet of elevation or 15 miles of distance. Walk, hike, run, climb, stroll, or roll in a way that fits the campaign guidance.
Participants can select The Arc Pikes Peak Region as their nonprofit partner. Half of the proceeds raised through a participant’s page support the nonprofit that person chooses.
Support can come from beyond the Pikes Peak region, too. A friend in Denver can donate to a fundraiser supporting The Arc Pikes Peak Region without that changing the organization’s service area. That gives friends and families a way to support a local mission even when they live elsewhere.
Put the person’s voice into the campaign
As you create a fundraising page, focus on the values you want to support: choice, access, respect, and meaningful participation. Tell your own story, or ask permission before including someone else’s words or photograph.
A person receiving services may want to help write the message, choose the photo, or decide which updates to share. Invite that input rather than treating the page as a story others must tell on their behalf.
You can also keep the ask simple. Explain your goal, link directly to your page, and offer the choice to donate or share. Our fundraising and outreach tips can help you plan those updates.
Make a connection that lasts beyond the challenge
September is a chance to raise support and learn something useful about the organizations in our community. Donors do not need to complete an activity goal, and sharing a relevant resource can be a thoughtful way to contribute.
Visit The Arc Pikes Peak Region to learn about advocacy, or explore the Elevation Challenge to participate or support a fundraiser. Together, we can help make choice and belonging more visible in Colorado community life.
