A grassroots effort to make free food available in a public refrigerator has met resistance from city health officials.
Abilene Community Fridge, which seeks to provide meals and food options for people facing food insecurity or hunger, was forced to reduce its supplies after a health department official threatened its operation. It s a give-what-you-can-take-what-you-need kind of system, organizer Reagan Van Coutren said about how the public could access the brightly painted, stocked refrigerator in a covered shelter outside Howard Radio at 4235 N. First St.
Van Coutren said the city health official late Thursday afternoon made her remove the perishable food from inside the fridge.