New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Community refrigerators ‘breaking down stigmas’
NEW HAVEN — Imagine running out of food for the next family meal and having a refrigerator you can go to 24/7, 365 days a year to get meat, vegan alternatives, produce and other items.
That will be possible here in a couple of weeks when the first community fridge in the city under the Fridge Haven program opens in the parking lot of Varick Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church parking lot at 242 Dixwell Ave.
“If a person takes all the food, it’s OK,” project co-chairwoman Melanie Dworak said. “We’re breaking down
stigmas by not judging what people need and by bringing the community together.”
Dworak is leading the project, along with cochairpeople MiAsia Harris and Reginald “Reggy” St. Fortcolin, the latter of whom got a similar project — Fridgeport — rolling in May in Bridgeport.
St. Fortcolin said at the Bridgeport site, 219 James St., they have a refrigerator in a 4-foot-by-12-foot shed that is used by about 150-175 people a day and they go through a few tons of food a week, he said.
“It’s empty more than its full,” he said. “I’m happy people are using it.”
He said a woman from Westport makes lasagna, portions it out and places it in the fridge.
St. Fortcolin said 30
percent of the population in Bridgeport is food insecure, “so one fridge is not going to make a dent.”
He said anyone who wants to donate can drop off food or even order grocery story delivery and have it dropped off.
Harris said a community fridge is needed now more than ever.
“I like the fact that Fridge Haven can bring the community together in a way that’s so needed right now,” Harris said. “It’ll aid us to grow stronger and create bonds to bring us closer. To help our neighbors when they’re in need instead of turning a blind eye.”
She said food insecurity “is at an all-time high” and that’s the biggest reason why Fridge Haven is so important to the community.
“Throughout the pandemic many families dealt with so much, such as loss of income to provide for their families. With
this community fridge initiative we’re hoping to relieve some of the extra stressors that have been thrust upon families,” she said.
There will be two refrigerators at the Varick site housed in an enclosure built by volunteers. An electrician is scheduled to do work there and the roofing is expected this weekend. The shed also has shelves for dry goods and non-food essentials such as diapers.
The timeline is uncertain, but organizers said the refrigerators should be running sometime next week.
The refrigerators are for anyone from anywhere to use — they can to take food or leave food — and no documentation is required to show need.
Organizers are working on establishing more sites in New Haven and other places in Connecticut.
The community fridges typically are located where community members can gather — in a church, a parking lot, a YMCA, a community center.
The service is not connected to Varick — it just agreed to play host to the fridges — but rather is a program through several groups including Mutual Aid for Connecticut and Democratic Socialists of America.
Dworak said in addition to individual donors restocking the fridge and surrounding shelves for nonperishable items, they have brought on several larger-scale partners to contribute food, including CitySeed, Elm City Market and others.
Community fridges are rising in popularity throughout the country, Dworak said.
She said at least 20 percent of New Haven County is food insecure and most people will experience it at some point in their life.
“The biggest thing people can do is drop off food,” she said.