Community fridges have taken the U.S. by storm. Following the lifting of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, the concept of community fridges was put into action nationwide. Community fridges are a concept where the community can come together and share food. Not only does this help solve the issue of hunger in the community, but also of food waste. Those with extra food, leftovers, donations, etc., can drop food off in the fridge/on the shelves and those in need can stop by to “shop.” The whole concept is free and the idea is that it is fully self-functioning. The U.S., however, is not the only, nor the first, country using this idea to invest in its community. Community fridges are found all over the globe. The following is a list of three different organizations facilitating these community programs.

Feeding India: Happy Fridges

Feeding India, a Delhi-based Nongovernmental Organization (NGO), is dedicated to ensuring the well-being of its community. The initiative’s mission extends beyond alleviating hunger to actively addressing and improving issues of malnutrition in India. Although “Happy Fridges” are just one small part of what this organization does, the organization is in charge of more than 500 fridges throughout more than 100 cities in India. These fridges reportedly help to provide anywhere from 1,500 to 20,000 meals a month for hungry people. The organization is also committed to environmental consciousness, discouraging the storage of food in plastic containers within their community fridges.

Fridge Restock Community SG

The Fridge Restock Community SG was an initiative started by Daniel Yap, an owner of a grocery store in Little India, Singapore. Upon finding two individuals going through his garbage bins one day in search of thrown-out vegetables to be “rescued.” These individuals were “freegans,” seeking edible food waste to reduce global levels of waste. Upon this encounter, Yap decided to educate himself on food waste and figure out what he could do to help eliminate it.

This launched his idea for the Fridge Restock Community, which began in 2018. The group collects what they call “ugly vegetables” or those that are unsellable and distributes them to community fridges throughout Singapore. Initially, they focused their collection on Yap’s store, but the initiative has grown to rescue food from wholesale centers. Currently, they distribute to more than 14 fridges in the community, meeting with 50+ volunteers to provide weekly distributions. In 2022, the group rescued more than 301 tons of produce from the trash and redistributed it to the fridges.

Freedge

Freedge is an organization working globally to mobilize people towards creating their community fridges. The mission behind the organization is to “promote equal access to healthy food” and “reduce food insecurity and food waste, building a stronger community.” The freedge team has installed more than 30 fridges in parts of the U.S., Brazil and Slovakia.

Additionally, Freedge offers a wealth of resources for individuals in need. Their website features a global map showcasing all the free fridges in various communities worldwide, including those established by other organizations or individuals. This serves as a valuable resource for those seeking access to free food. The organization also provides detailed information on starting up one’s own free fridge through a dedicated webpage.

– Sophia Lovell
Photo: Wikimedia Commons