Community Food Pantry
Our food bank establishes food security for the residents of Washington Park, WI and other nearby areas
The Rooted & Rising Community Food Pantry is located within our main facility on the corner of 39th Street and Lisbon Avenue and provides free food assistance to individuals and families living in Milwaukee’s 53208 and 53210 zip codes.
Accessible through the main parking lot entrance in the rear of the building, the Community Food Pantry includes free emergency food supply, cooking demonstrations by partners, staff and volunteers, a Senior Stockbox Program, Food Share registration, distribution of hygiene products and winter clothing, and a wide range of additional services and resources from our community partners who are present during food pantry operating hours.
Availing of our Emergency Food Supply in Washington Park, WI
Food assistance is operational on Mondays, and Wednesdays from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
To receive emergency food from our food pantry, you may walk in. You are able to receive food once every 30 days. Please bring a photo ID and a current piece of mail with your address on it for each adult the first time you come to the food pantry. We only need verification of address once a year, unless your address changes. Bring a third party item with each child's name and birthdate on it for each child in your household. This could include a birth certificate, immunization record, school record, birth announcement, or legal paperwork. Once a child's information is in our records you will not need to continue bringing his or her items with you.
Senior Stockbox Program: Rooted & Rising’s Senior Meals Program
The first four Tuesdays of the month from 9:00am to 11:00am
To participate in the senior food program you must be an enrolled participant. To qualify for a Stockbox, seniors must be 60 years or older and a resident of Wisconsin and meet the monthly low-income requirements.
More About Our Food Bank and Food Assistance Programs
Since our first emergency food pantry was established in 1993, Rooted & Rising has served the food security needs of the Washington Park neighborhood and nearby communities.
In 2022, with support from Hunger Task Force and many other individual donors and partners, we launched a renovation of the physical space and officially rolled out our choice-based shopping model for the new Community Food Pantry, which now includes a full community room kitchen that is used for cooking demonstrations, nutrition classes, community gatherings and so much more. Part of this expansion also involved the extension of our service area to include both the 53208 and 53210 zip codes in their entirety.
At Rooted & Rising, we strive to provide a warm, welcoming space for all of our neighbors to gather, enjoy each other’s company, receive free food and basic need assistance, and get connected to other resources.
The Rooted & Rising Community Food Center is a proud partner of Hunger Task Force and relies upon the support of a multitude of community partners, gardening groups, volunteers and long-time supporters from a number of United Methodist Church congregations throughout the Greater Milwaukee Area. There are so many different ways for individuals and groups to get involved and lend your support, so please don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more or organize a project.