the rising tide STORY

"HOW" not "IF"

The Rising Tide Story...

Through a series of unfortunate family events, Cole Swartz arrived in Beloit, WI in 2014 not knowing anyone, with nothing but a backpack of clothes and his blind dog.

To put himself through school, he got involved in the trades. With no car, he'd ride his bike or take the bus to the job site each day after classes ended. Starting out pushing a broom, within two years he hustled his way to becoming a licensed General Contractor with his own crew. By the time he graduated from school, he had several of his own properties.

He'd renovate many more properties all over town in the next several years. In doing so, he quickly saw how lacking opportunities were for local youth. Inspired by this overwhelming need and his mother's career as a public educator, he purchased the hundred year old Kolak Administrative Building (previously Roosevelt Intermediate School) in December 2020.

Over the next four years, through hustle and entrepreneurship; he self-funded the renovation of the 75,000sf building and the surrounding grounds into a Youth & Community Center. Through an incredible team, this vision has grown into something larger than he ever imagined.

The Rising Tide Center does not take any monetary donations, grants, or public money. Everything is privately funded through Cole via the Rising Tide Foundation, Inc. 501(c)(3). This ensures the mission of serving youth is unsullied by outside influences, while also hoping to inspire others to what can be accomplished through entrepreneurship and private enterprise.