Roslindale Community Fridge

The steps seemed basic, but they were never easy! Find a fridge, find a host, find a carpenter, get community support, and grow a group of volunteers. It’s like starting and running a business, without any of the funding or fancy marketing. Everything had to be achieved by relying on our community, our neighbors, and their generosity. But we were never truly worried.

We were fortunate enough to be connected with other Community Fridges across the country, who provided a literal and figurative blueprint for the Fridge. The Boston Community Fridge in JP (@bostoncommunityfridge), the Dorchester Community Fridge (@dotcommunityfridge) and the In Our Hearts NYC Collective (@iohnyc) were always available to answer our questions about logistics, concerns, and even issues they were facing. We entered each day with the question “How can we make this better?” And often we found an existing solution within our network!

It was also really important to us, as the following and the group of volunteers grew, to maintain complete transparency and to encourage a diversity of voices. We wanted to make the fridge available to everyone, and that meant listening to what everyone needed. We have a massive group chat, and have since broken down into teams to better concentrate our interests and energies.

People were excited to get involved right away, but remember that this effort is entirely volunteer-based and community-organized. We all have full, busy lives outside of the Community Fridge. Like the motto used for these fridges across the country-- “Take what you need, leave/give what you can” – that applies to more than food and donations. It is truly a miracle that the fridge was open and running within a month. But we know for a fact this miracle was made by the odd hours worked outside of a job, a second job, school work, family time, and previous commitments.

We call it “luck” but it was really “love” that made this happen. For example, the owner of the Roslindale Market (our host) is a longtime family friend of Jenny’s. She grew up with his family, and while she calls it complete luck that he had space for our fridge, we know it was his love for her, his customers, and the community that led him to make space for us.

It takes a (socially-distanced and Covid-knowledgeable) village!

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT.

We really didn’t want this answer to be political, but it is hard not to equate it as such. We believe that access to food – fresh food – is a human right. We felt like it was something the community needed, and something that couldn’t wait. Hungry families can’t wait anymore. The demand is up, and those we elected aren’t meeting those demands, at least not fast enough.

Recently we had heard a statistic on GBH saying that food pantries in Boston are facing 10 times the demand – up from 60 families, to 600 families per session. That is astronomical and it also makes our hearts sink. And often, once or twice a month that the food pantries run, is just not enough.

Outside of protesting and counter-protesting, there are ways to tune in to what your immediate community needs. Personally, we have felt that fear of having to choose between bills and groceries. We have family and friends who have been unemployed since March, waiting every month since then for relief. A stimulus check, a ban on evictions, getting sympathy from a Boston landlord – we just can’t wait anymore. We can’t rely on figureheads who aren’t in that metaphorical pan with a fire under it. We can’t rely on those with steady, sufficient income to feel the urgency of those who are working 2 or 3 jobs on the frontlines just to make ends meet.

WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING?

One of the most surprising responses we have received from people passing by is “When is it open?” They are so pleasantly surprised when we tell them it is on and open 24/7, 365.

And furthermore, they are ecstatic when we tell them the Fridge is completely community-run and funded. Period. No strings attached.

Is it really that revolutionary to have a constant source of nourishment? To have a choice? To not have to rely on a local or federally funded program, which people seem to have so much disdain for? That personally makes me so hurt, and angry. Not because there aren’t programs that aim to fill that gap, but because of what led to that feeling of apathy and mistrust, regardless of intention. It’s our turn to create something that actually works for the people.

We continue to work hard to let everyone know about the fridge! It’s an ongoing project. We want the entire neighborhood to know, and to feel comfortable visiting it when they want or need. This has definitely been the most difficult aspect – eliciting a full community response. Right now, it seems like only a fraction of Roslindale is aware of its existence!

Still, the fridge has been filled and emptied, filled and emptied, every day since its grand (and silent) opening in the 2nd weekend of October. Only a month passed and the Fridge was ready to serve the people.

We are so grateful for the help we continue to receive, and we love to see friends bringing friends, who bring their families, etc etc etc.

Our neighbors, if we think of them and come to accept them as our family and friends, we know and we feel in our hearts that they deserve to feel safe and secure. This is for all of us, no stigma attached. It’s for everyone, always.

For the community, by the community.

All the best,

Your friends at the Roslindale Community Fridge