Inside the effort to reduce hunger amid COVID-19
Volunteers keep the fridges stocked with donated food, and people can take what they need — no questions asked.
Written content by Kerry Breen via Today
Community fridges have popped up in cities across the country as organizers try to end hunger in their neighborhoods.
As the country grapples with record-breaking unemployment and stalled stimulus discussions, more and more people are going hungry, with food bank lines stretching for blocks and schools working hard to get meals to students learning remotely.
One solution has been popping up in cities of all sizes: community fridges.
The fridges, usually colorfully painted, can be found in public spaces like sidewalks and storefronts. Volunteers and community members keep them stocked with donated food and other supplies, and people can take what they need — no questions asked.
“COVID-19 has amplified the consistent need of access to fresh and affordable food,” Mari Chavez, 31, who one of the original organizers of a network of community fridges in New Orleans, Louisiana, told TODAY Food. “… With the efforts we support, everyone has the opportunity to provide and to receive collective care.”
While the pandemic and subsequent economic difficulty may have accelerated their use, community fridges aren’t a unique idea; Ernst Bertone Oehninger, the co-founder of Freedge, a network that provides resources and information to community fridge operators around the world, said that he believes he first started hearing about the concept in 2012. Currently, Freedge’s database lists nearly 200 fridges in the United States.
“The movement started in many different places at different times,” he told TODAY, estimating that the first fridge in the U.S. appeared in 2019 or early 2020. “I think the U.S. is kind of late in the game, but that’s cool, because people follow what’s happening here a lot. That’s a win.” Read more from TODAY.
Follow News Without Politics for more interesting and amazing, important, and relevant U.S. and world news stories plus health, entertainment, sports, weather, food and more without media bias.
Stay informed daily. News fair and balanced, ahead of influence.
