Domestic violence has a significant impact on victims' and survivors' health and wellbeing. One in three women in Australia experience physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by someone they know, and children and youth who are exposed to domestic violence experience emotional, mental and social damage that can affect their developmental growth.
RizeUp Australia (
RizeUp) is a not for profit focused on supporting and empowering families through their programs and partnerships with specialist domestic and family violence organisations. A family fleeing from a violent household will often enter a refuge with nothing but the clothes on their backs. When a family leaves a refuge, RizeUp furnishes their new accommodation with everything they need to make it a home, so the family can make a fresh start.
Daisy and Karlena from our Pro Bono and Responsible Business team volunteered with RizeUp's 'Homes Program' and assisted to set up and furnish a home for a mother and child moving away from domestic violence. The day started early, with Daisy and Karlena heading to RizeUp's storage warehouse to load the truck with furniture and essentials for the new home. RizeUp provided beds, couches, tables, chairs, linen, toiletries and more, that they either fundraise for or receive as donations.
After loading the truck, our volunteers headed to the family's new home. The house on arrival was completely bare; the family had just two mattresses on the floor and their clothes. Many families fleeing domestic violence leave with just whatever they can easily take with them. Our volunteers spent four hours unpacking the truck, assembling furniture for the family and setting up the house so it started to feel more like a home.
By the end of the day, they had a fully furnished home with food in the cupboard, white goods and electrical goods for the kitchen, as well as cleaning products and personal care products for the bathroom. The bedrooms were set up with special gifts for each member of the family to come home to. We are proud of our volunteers for committing their time and effort to assist this family.
"I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to hopefully make life a little easier for this family," said Daisy. "To think about what they have been through and give them some hope that things will be better is so inspiring. It is a very real reminder of everything we take for granted."
Volunteering with RizeUp and assisting with their impactful work reflects the Colin Biggers & Paisley Foundation's commitment to supporting women and children. Sadly, domestic and family violence has escalated during COVID-19 as women and families face additional barriers to seek help and assistance.
RizeUp works with these families behind the scenes to make a substantial and positive difference in the community and to make a new start. Volunteering with RizeUp provides our staff with an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution towards assisting women and children survivors of domestic violence.
If you are interested in learning more about RizeUp's wonderful work, click
here.