Together, We Can Make a Difference

Tuesday, September 1, to Wednesday, September 30, 2026
Stop & Shop, 70-20 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Arverne, NY 11692

Tuesday, September 1, 2026, is launch day for Stop & Shop Community Bag Program. For the entire month of September, when you purchase a $2.50 reusable community bag at Stop & Shop on 70-20 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, $1.00 is donated to RISE (Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity).

The community bags are located on displays around the store and at the checkout. For more information about the program, please visit https://stopandshop.2givelocal.com/program/community-bag/.

Thanks for your support!

16th Annual NYC Honey Fest

Saturday, September 12, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Boardwalk at Beach 106th Street

Rockaway Honeyworks, a RISE initiative, will table at 16th Annual NYC Honey Fest. Student interns from Shore Corps helped to do hive inspections and harvest honey, which will be on sale.

All proceeds support RISE's youth programs: Living Classroom, Environmentor, Shore Corps. Drop by to say hello and taste of some of the best honey in New York City!

Zumba!

Monday, September 14, 11:00 am to 11:45 am
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Come on over to RISE for a FREE Zumba class, led by LaDeidre Smith. Enjoy an aerobic fitness workout method that involves cardio and Latin- and African-inspired dance!

Special thanks to Far Rockaway Arverne Nonprofit Coalition (F.R.A.N.C.).

Beach Cleanup

Saturday, September 19, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Boardwalk at Beach 59th Street

Join RISE, NYC H2O, and New York Sea Grant for a beach cleanup. Local residents and children of all ages are encouraged to participate in this stewardship event. As members of the Rockaway community, we need to do our best to keep the beach clean for all, including wildlife!

Students may receive community service hours for their efforts. This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged.

Special thanks to National Sea Grant Marine Debris Community Action Coalition.

Climate Week NYC Dune Planting

Saturday, September 26, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 44th & the Boardwalk

All hands on deck for dune restoration, part of "Greater Rockaway" Coastal Resilience Plan during Climate Week NYC!

This initiative, led by RISE and supported by Surfrider Foundation's Climate Action Program, focuses on long-term enhancement and maintenance of coastal dunes. All are welcome to help put in native plants and shrubs, to build and restore a natural protective buffer along the east end of the Rockaways. Students can receive community service hours. Join us for lunch afterward, to catch up on progress and connect.

This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged.

RISE 20th Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, September 26, 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Celebrate RISE's twentieth anniversary with live music, food and beverages, an art exhibition of community initiatives, and an auction featuring the work of artists and local folks who have partnered with us over the years!

Fall Migration Bird Walk

Sunday, September 27, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Join RISE for a free birding tour led by NYC Plover Project's knowledgeable and experienced staff. As birds make their way south for the fall migration, it is the perfect time to catch a glimpse of a wide variety of species along the shoreline. Binoculars will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Whether you are an expert birder or just starting out, all are welcome!

Wine-Tasting Fundraiser

Saturday, October 3, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
RISE Educational Garden, 190 Beach 44th Street

Are you in a New York State of Wine?

The New York Times Chief Wine Critic Eric Asimov will take us through some great wines from the Empire State, the most underrated state for wine in the country. The price of admission is $200 per person, and it is a fundraiser for RISE! All proceeds will support the one-acre, community-owned and operated RISE Native Plant Nursery, Seed Bank, and Educational Garden.

REGISTER today.

Foraging Tour with "Wildman" Steve Brill

Sunday, October 4, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

"Wildman" Steve Brill will lead a FREE session on plant identification, the natural habitat of the Rockaways, and all the best wild foods of the seashore. The sandy soil limits tree and grass growth, but it benefits other species that can take advantage of the sun and nutrient-poor soil. Wild greens and dozens of species thrive here.

This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Registration is required.

Daffodil Bulbs Giveaway

Saturday, October 10, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Don’t miss out on New Yorkers for Parks 2026 Daffodil Project!

RISE will host one of the Queens distribution sites, and you are invited to pick up a pack of fifty bulbs to participate in a citywide living memorial, stewardship opportunity, and catalyst for transformative investment in our beloved parks and open public spaces across all five boroughs.

Daffodil Project is a living memorial to the victims of 9/11 and the largest civic effort in New York City history. Bulbs will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please REGISTER.

Sandy Anniversary Planting

Saturday, October 17, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 62nd Street & Rockaway Beach Boulevard

For the fourteenth anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, RISE is inviting you to help create a natural protective buffer for the Rockaway community. As we learned from the superstorm, the natural vegetation and dunes that exist off our shores shielded homes and businesses. However, many of these dunes were compromised and need to be rebuilt, restored, and replenished.

Families and people of all ages are welcome to participate in this dune restoration project. Students may receive community service hours. The event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged.