Earlier this year, we wrote about how to start a “Friendly Fridge,” a communal neighborhood refrigerator of donated or leftover food that might otherwise go to waste, which people experiencing food insecurity can access for free. These so-called “freedges” have been around for a few years, but they’ve become even more important resources since the start of the pandemic.
So if you or someone you know is looking to supplement groceries with fresh produce, a dozen eggs, or a gallon of milk, how do you find a Friendly Fridge? A few different websites can help you out.
- Freedge.org: This site has resources for starting and maintaining community fridges as well as a location map. To show up here, fridge managers have to register their location, so it’s not a comprehensive list.
- Freedges Around the World spreadsheet: This is a shared Google Sheet of freedge locations worldwide, with addresses and links to social media. Again, not comprehensive, but a good starting point.
- ChangeX: This site connects volunteers with community fridge projects. It’s a short list as of this writing, but yet another resource for finding refrigerators in your area.
- Instagram: Type “community fridge” or “free fridge” into Instagram and you’ll get a long list of accounts for specific cities, networks, and neighborhoods. The hashtags #communityfridge and #freefridge also bring up maps and location lists.
- Google: A good ol’ Google search along the lines of “community fridge [CITY]” can also help you locate freedges in your area.
Community fridges run on an honor system—the ethos has been described as “take what you need, leave what you can.” This means that you can utilize freedges as needed, no questions asked, but also that you are more than welcome to donate if you are able.
