The Rise of Community Fridges for Food Sharing

November 27, 2024 | 2 minute read

Written by Arti Jalan

We’re living in a paradoxical time, where food waste is a growing environmental concern in major cities across the globe, while food insecurity and access to healthy food feels like an everyday struggle for many. The irony of these two situations has not been lost however, and a quiet, powerful revolution is growing – community fridges.

Community fridges are shared refrigerators that are set up in neighbourhoods – in publicly used areas, outside of shops and eateries, and along sidewalks – and this concept is the simple, practical and grassroots answer to both problems.

Community fridges offer a place where individuals can donate surplus food, and others can pick up what they need – a “take what you need, leave what you can” model.

These fridges are open to anyone, stocked with donated food from local folks, farmers, and businesses, and they’re free for those who need it. It's a humble yet powerful way of sharing what we have, taking care of each other, and cutting down on waste all at once. As food prices rise and communities feel more disconnected than ever before, the community fridge movement is reminding us that, sometimes, the simplest ideas can make the biggest impact.

Mutual Aid

With a growing divestment from hierarchical structures, community fridges are the epitome of what mutual aid looks like.

Mutual aid is the opposite of charity, which often looks like people in power handing down donations and regulating access based on merit and eligibility.

With lengthy and involved application processes, specific criteria and conditions that need to be met, certain required statuses, and other societal barriers in place, charities can sometimes feel impossible to qualify for. The process can feel invasive, with folks often feeling a sense of shame, embarrassment, and judgement.

Mutual aid puts the power back into the hands of the collective, allowing community members to lift each other up. It encourages solutions-based problem solving for the folks who actually live and work in the community, allowing them to meet each other’s needs, and create solutions that are actually relevant and desired.

Mutual aid is rooted in solidarity, not charity. It’s about reciprocity, collective wellbeing, and social sustainability, while also challenging the systems of power and control that perpetuate inequality.

With initiatives like community fridges, the focus is on community support without barriers. There are no questions asked, no need to register, and no requirement to prove food insecurity. This allows people to access what they need without compromising their privacy or dignity, ensuring that everyone can participate on their own terms.

Some concerns have been raised about the possibility of certain individuals taking "too much" or the community fridge turning into a "free for all." However, the organizers of these fridges emphasize that the goal is not to police or control who takes what. The intention behind using the fridge can vary widely - some people may have larger families to feed, while others might be gathering food to share with neighbours. In this model, “greed” isn't even a concern, because the core principle is to support anyone in need, without judgement or restriction. The focus is on community care, not scarcity.

Additionally, I believe that when we build systems that truly support the collective, they have a ripple effect, inspiring other networks rooted in mutual support and community growth to be built. Over time, the feeling of needing to "hoard" resources fades, because the energy of the community shifts towards abundance, ease, safety, and shared wellbeing.

In a system built on cooperation, there is no scarcity - only the collective strength of everyone working together.

Getting Involved

If you’re interested in getting involved, try to find a community fridge program near you. Keep in mind that if Googling doesn’t bring up results, you can try Instagram – I’ve found many community fridges through the app! See a list of Toronto-based fridges here.

If dropping off donations in person doesn’t fit into your schedule, many fridge organizers also offer online options for making donations, so you can still be part of the movement.

Support can take many forms - whether it's spreading the word about community fridges, organizing your group of friends to do a bulk grocery run together, or talking to local eateries about donating their surplus food. Each of these actions helps strengthen the movement and uplifts your local community, making a meaningful impact towards our shared wellbeing.