The RISE Food Bank is located within the RISE drop in centre and community hub. RISE is the only central resource for eX-detainees, Refugees and Asylum seekers in Victoria. RISE places no visa requirements on who can access its services or any other restriction beyond being a resource specifically for refugees. It is refuge.

The RISE Refugee Food Bank supplies food, food vouchers and essential material aid, including toiletries, maternity items such as breast pads, baby formula and nappies. The RISE Food Bank is open every day of the year and is a drop-in service open to any refugee in Australia who needs it. Newly arrived refugees and refugees released from detention centres do not have access to welfare payments. They are also excluded from most employment options. With the help of our volunteers we support those reduced to hunger due to these circumstances.

There is more to the RISE Food Bank beyond charity and material aid. The RISE Food Bank is an access point to a myriad of support services, such as crisis housing, employment, language classes, education, the navigation of the legal system and the immigration department and much more.

New donations to our foodbank are counted and placed on shelves once a week, where our volunteers ensure all items are still within their best before or expiry dates. All food and toiletries donations that have been opened and/or expired are composted/disposed accordingly to ensure our members have access to food and toiletries that meet health and safety standards. We also ensure specific items donated to our foodbank are set aside and saved for members who have specific dietary requirement to meet their health and religious needs.