A Solar Powered Community Refrigerator
Gotta love this:
“Positioned next to a garden of fresh vegetables grown to feed the Englewood community sits The Love Fridge, Chicago’s first ever solar-powered community refrigerator. Using sustainable energy, the Chicago-based initiative nourishes the community through mutual aid by providing free resources for those in need. Donors stock the freestanding fridge, powered by solar panels, with food for others to eat.” (1)
It’s a concept that’s spreading:
“Community fridges act as a grassroots response to a dire food insecurity crisis. Although official data is not yet available, Feeding America estimated that the number of food-insecure Americans almost doubled to 50 million people in 2020.” (2)
“Community fridges offer free food — from fresh produce to home-cooked meals — along with sanitary products and other health-related supplies to communities in need, no questions asked. Normally run by volunteers or individuals, the fridges are publicly accessible, and supplies are almost completely sourced from local generosity. (3)
Here’s a directory of over four hundred locations: https://freedge.org/
Food for thought, indeed!
Sources:
(2) https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22285863/community-fridges-neighborhoods-free-food
(3) https://mashable.com/article/how-to-get-involved-community-fridge