How Plant-Based Community Fridges Are Providing Access to Free Food
“Take what you need, leave what you can.”
Community fridges, or “freedges,” are organizer and volunteer-led refrigerators that provide free food to their communities. The concept has been around for several years, but is surging in popularity as a way for people to support each other through food insecurity exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This mutual aid initiative is predicated on the philosophy to “take what you need, leave what you can.”
How does it work?
Community fridges are run, cleaned, and serviced by organizers and volunteers. Anyone with the means and desire can contribute to a community fridge. Community members can purchase groceries with the fridge in mind, or share items from their pantry or refrigerator that would otherwise go to waste.