Spring Migration Bird Walk

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

Join RISE, NYC Plover Project, and NYC Bird Alliance for a FREE guided birding tour along the Rockaway shoreline! Explore the beach with expert guides and discover a wide variety of coastal birds, while learning about their habitats and conservation.

Binoculars will be provided first come, first served, though you may bring your own. Please dress accordingly and bring a water bottle.

Registration is encouraged. In case of inclement weather, we will communicate change of plans via e-mail. 

Jamaica Bay Community Cleanup

Saturday, March 21, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Dubos Point Wildlife Sanctuary, De Costa Avenue & Beach 65th Street

Join RISE for a cleanup along Jamaica Bay. Local residents and visitors (adults and children) are encouraged to participate in this stewardship event. As appreciative citizens of the Rockaways, we need to do our part to keep the bay clean for us and for all the wildlife.

Everyone is welcome to participate, and students may receive community service hours for their efforts! Please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged.

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

Chair Movement with Weights

Tuesday, March 3, 11:00 am to 11:45 am
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Christine Walker, breath facilitator, licensed massage therapist, and certified yoga instructor,  will teach a FREE class on chair movement with weights. You will be seated and standing. All are welcome!

Winter Bird Walk with NYC Plover Project

Sunday, January 11, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Join RISE and NYC Plover Project for a FREE winter birding tour of Edgemere, the first of the 2026 season! Come and see sea ducks, grebes, common and red-throated loons, Northern gannets, and other winter birds on the shoreline. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, all levels of birders are welcome.

Please dress with plenty of warm layers and have a water bottle. Binoculars will be provided first come, first served, though you may bring your own.

Registration is highly recommended. In case of inclement weather and other changes, we will be communicating via e-mail.

Rockaway Honeyworks End-of-Season Sale

Wednesday, October 29, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Bring your own jar and fill it with Rockaway Honeyworks! $2.00 per ounce of honey, made by the bees of the Rockaway peninsula. Our honey is made as part of RISE's community and youth development programs, to teach us about beekeeping, honey, and the benefits to our environment.

One jar per customer, sixteen-ounce limit: this is so everyone can have a taste of the last honey of the season!

RISE 20th Anniversary Alumni Luncheon

Saturday, October 18, 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
RISE Native Plant Nursery, 190 Beach 44th Street

Are you an alum of Shore Corps or Environmentor, RISE's internship programs for high school students, from the years 2010 to 2022? Then join us for this special luncheon mixer, at the new RISE Native Plant Nursery, to celebrate our twentieth anniversary!

You must register individually; no additional guests. RSVP before Thursday, October 16, 2025.

Also, please consider signing up for RISE's Sandy Anniversary Planting, taking place on the same day, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with current Shore Corps students and the community!

Sandy Anniversary Planting

Saturday, October 18, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 44th Street and the Boardwalk

For the thirteenth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, RISE is bringing people of all ages together to care for our shoreline and create a natural protective barrier for the Rockaway community.

As we learned from the hurricane, the natural vegetation and dunes that exist off our shores serve as a buffer to the homes and businesses in the area. Many of these dunes are compromised by storms, shoreline erosion, and human disturbance, including marine debris and trash, so they need to be cared for to be effective.

Families, friends, and neighbors are welcome to participate in this shoreline cleanup and beach grass dune planting. Students can receive community service hours. This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged, in case of changes.

Special thanks to National Sea Grant Marine Debris Community Action Coalition, City Parks Foundation NYC Green Fund, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Fall Migration Bird Walk

Sunday, September 28, 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!

Photo courtesy of NYC Plover Project.

Daffodil Bulbs Giveaway

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

It's almost planting time! Don’t miss out on New Yorkers for Parks 2025 Daffodil Project, a citywide living memorial, stewardship opportunity, and catalyst for transformative investment in our beloved parks and open spaces.

A living memorial to the victims of 9/11 and the largest civic effort in city history, Daffodil Project gives away bulbs to plant in public spaces across all five boroughs. RISE will be hosting one of the Queens distribution sites.

Bulb supplies will be distributed on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Register here!

NYC Climate Week Planting with Surfrider

Sunday, September 21, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach 44th Street & Edgemere Avenue

Join RISE for hands-on dune restoration as part of "Greater Rockaway" Coastal Resilience Plan during Climate Week NYC. The initiative focuses on long-term enhancement and maintenance of coastal dunes to mitigate climate impacts.

Families, friends, and neighbors are welcome to help plant 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 and are encouraged to bring paperwork from their schools.

This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged, in case of changes on the day.

Special thanks to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Surfrider Foundation. 

Rockaway Honeyworks & NYC Honey Fest

Saturday, September 13, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Boardwalk at Beach 106th Street

Rockaway Honeyworks, a RISE initiative, will table at 15th Annual NYC Honey Fest. Student interns from Shore Corps helped to do hive inspections and harvest honey, which will be on sale in eight-ounce, four-ounce, and one-ounce containers.

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

AMSEAS Necropsy Volunteer Training

Sunday, June 22, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Do you want to be part of Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS) stranding response team? Are you interested in assisting with necropsies? Join AMSEAS at RISE for a volunteer training session! This session is open to AMSEAS volunteers. To become a volunteer, e-mail volunteers@amseas.org and join AMSEAS for a virtual volunteer orientation on Thursday, May 29, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. To register for the volunteer orientation, visit https://tinyurl.com/2s4c4mpx

Barbara Hillary Day

Thursday, June 12, 10:30 am to 11:30 am
190 Beach 44th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Join us for a celebratory gathering at the Barbara Hillary sculpture rock in RISE Educational Garden and "Honor Walk Way," to honor and remember Hillary's contributions to the Rockaways.

"Who is Barbara Hillary?" you might ask. She was the first African American woman to reach both the North Pole and the South Pole. A resident of Arverne, she was a dedicated community activist and advocate for improving life in her neighborhood and others throughout the peninsula.

RISE petitioned local elected officials to dedicate June 12, her birthday, as “Barbara Hillary Day.”

All are welcome to attend the reception and festivities!

Project Underway

Saturday, May 17, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Beach 60th Street under the Elevated

Join RISE and Living City Project in this student-led community event. We will be painting Seaside Strong, a permanent mural on the roadbed, under the A-train's elevated tracks. All are welcome!

RISE Spring Hoppy Hour!

Wednesday, April 2, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Rockaway Brewing Company, Long Island City Taproom, 46-01 5th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101

RISE to the occasion, make a toast to our twentieth anniversary, and support our youth programs: Shore Corps, Living Classroom, and Environmentor! Board member Christian Capasso is hosting this off-the-peninsula fundraiser for friends, familiar and new. Ethan Long of Rockaway Brewing Company created an exclusive brand-new craft beer to mark the occasion.

Cheers!

Together, We Can Make a Difference

Tuesday, April 1, to Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Stop & Shop, 112-15 Beach Channel Drive, Rockaway Park, NY 11694

Tuesday, April 1, 2025, is launch day for Stop & Shop Community Bag Program. For the entire month of April, when you purchase a $2.50 reusable community bag at Stop & Shop, located at 112-15 Beach Channel Drive, Rockaway Park, NY 11694, $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!

Rockaway Honeyworks

Monday, December 16, to Thursday, December 19, 2024
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

An Andrew Jackson will not only get you an eight-ounce bottle of local, raw honey, but it also supports programming at RISE. Purchase Rockaway Honeyworks for holiday gifting! You may pay for it online and pick it up at RISE, Monday through Thursday, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., or we can ship it to you at an additional cost. Thank you.

#GivingTuesday

Tuesday, December 3, All day
RISE, 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

It will be RISE's twentieth anniversary in 2025, and we want to thank you for being a part of the movement: Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity. Take a look at these beautiful faces. They are the reason we have our heels dug in to the ground, to make sure that the ocean, the sand, the sky, the wildlife, and even the not-so-wildlife are accessible to them as a playground and a learning field. Please donate to keep our mission going and thriving.

Climate Week NYC Dune Planting

Saturday, September 28, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Beach Front Road & Beach Way (between Beach 62nd & 65th streets)

Join RISE and Surfrider Foundation for hands-on dune restoration as part of "Greater Rockaway" Coastal Resilience Plan during Climate Week NYC.

The initiative, led by RISE and supported by Surfrider's Climate Action Program, focuses on long-term enhancement and maintenance of coastal dunes to mitigate climate impacts.

Families, friends, and neighbors are welcome to help plant 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. This event is rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Registration is encouraged, in case of changes on the day.

Native Plant Nursery Planting

Saturday, September 21, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Arverne East Welcome Center, 190 Beach 44th Street

Join RISE for this special event establishing the new Native Plant Nursery at Arverne East. 

Participants will learn to collect seeds from the native coastal plants and help to set up and plant the raised beds for the inaugural season. 

People of all ages are invited to participate. Students seeking community service hours are welcome to attend. Dress accordingly for outdoor conditions. Registration is encouraged.

Special thanks to Booth Ferris Foundation, City Parks Foundation NYC Green Fund, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Rockaway Stop 'N' Swap

Saturday, May 11, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Beach 60th Street & Rockaway Freeway, under the A-train's elevated tracks

It's FREE! Give away items you no longer need or take home something new-to-you! You don't have to bring something to take something.

What to Bring

YES: Clean, reusable, portable items such as clothing, housewares, electronics, books, and toys.

NO: Furniture, large items, expired or open food, unsealed personal care products, medicine, dirty or ripped clothing, fabric scraps, incomplete toys and games, nonworking electronics, tube TVs, magazines, and sharp objects.

This event is brought to you by GrowNYC. Stop 'N' Swap is funded by New York City Department of Sanitation.