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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is Rising Tide?
    Rising Tide is an educator-led, direct-aid nonprofit serving students and families at Rockledge High School in Brevard County, Florida. Founded by a credentialed Speech-Language Pathologist embedded full-time in the school, Rising Tide responds to student crises with same-day speed — providing emergency groceries, transportation, hygiene supplies, and stability resources within hours, not weeks.
     

  2. Who founded Rising Tide?
    Rising Tide was founded by Kristin McBenton, a credentialed Speech-Language Pathologist who works full-time inside Rockledge High School. Her embedded position allows her to identify student crises in real time and respond immediately — a model that traditional social services cannot match.
     

  3. Where does Rising Tide operate?
    Rising Tide serves students and families connected to Rockledge High School in Rockledge, Florida, located in Brevard County. While our home base is Rockledge High, we have also extended support to peer schools — including helping launch a student food pantry at a neighboring campus.
     

  4. How fast does Rising Tide respond to a student in crisis?
    Rising Tide responds the same day — often within hours. We do not have intake queues, waiting periods, or application requirements. When a student's stability is threatened, our founder can act immediately because she is physically embedded in the school every day.
     

  5. What kinds of help does Rising Tide provide?
    Rising Tide provides direct, tangible aid across seven core areas:
    -Emergency food and groceries for families facing benefit gaps or food insecurity
    -Transportation including bus passes, bicycles, and e-scooters so students can attend school and work
    -Hygiene supplies including underwear, sanitary products, and personal care items
    -Mental health support tools such as fidget tools donated to school counselors
    -Holiday food capability programs like our crockpot and slow-cooker meal initiative
    -Peer school support including pantry startup inventory for neighboring schools
    -Family stabilization during housing instability, benefit delays, and other crises
     

  6. How is Rising Tide different from larger nonprofits or social services?
    Three things make Rising Tide different:
    Speed. We respond within hours instead of weeks. There is no intake process or waiting list.
    Embedded presence. Our founder is inside Rockledge High School every day as a Speech-Language Pathologist, so we identify need in real time — not weeks later in a referral report.
    Near-zero overhead. Every dollar donated translates directly to student need. We don't pay rent, don't run a marketing department, and our operations costs are minimal.
     

  7. Is Rising Tide a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit?
    Yes. Rising Tide is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
     

  8. How can I donate to Rising Tide?
    You can support Rising Tide in three ways:

    - Monthly giving through our Barrier Breakers Club, starting at $20/month
    -One-time donations of any amount through our website
    -Corporate sponsorship at the Pillar Sponsor level for local businesses seeking community engagement and visibility

    Contact Kristin McBenton directly to discuss sponsorship at raisingthetide321@gmail.com
     

  9. What is the Barrier Breakers Club?
    The Barrier Breakers Club is Rising Tide's monthly giving program. Members provide predictable, recurring support that allows us to respond to student crises immediately — without waiting for fundraising cycles. Tiers start at $20/month, and every member receives quarterly impact updates from our founder.
     

  10. How can local businesses partner with Rising Tide.
    Local businesses can partner with Rising Tide as Pillar Sponsors at $500–$1,000/month. Sponsorships include community visibility, employee engagement opportunities like Pantry Pack Nights, and a genuine, locally-rooted impact story to share with customers and staff. We work primarily with real estate agencies, medical practices, law firms, and car dealerships across Rockledge and Brevard County.
     

  11. How can I refer a student or family in need?
    If you are a teacher, counselor, or community member in Rockledge or surrounding communities, and you know a student or family in crisis, contact Kristin McBenton directly through the school or through our website's contact form. There is no formal referral paperwork — just reach out.
     

  12. Why does an embedded Speech-Language Pathologist run a direct-aid nonprofit?Speech-Language Pathologists are trained to notice what other professionals miss — micro-expressions, regression, and the subtle signs that something at home is wrong. That clinical training, combined with the trust built through daily one-on-one work with students, is why families come forward and why Rising Tide can act fast. The same skills that make an SLP effective in therapy make her effective at identifying — and responding to — student crisis.

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