Feed neighbors with community refrigerators

Imagine you are a busy single mom working evenings in a low-wage job, trying to feed your children. Maybe you can't stretch your paycheck far enough to fill your grocery cart, but the places you can receive free food aren't open at the right times or you are too embarrassed to ask for what you need to feed your kids. There has to be a better way. 

As one of three group projects by the Future50 Class of 2021, we are dedicated to creating access to fresh, healthy food while reducing barriers to quality and nutritious food for people most in need. We are focused on meeting people where they are in their journey with food access. We are placing community refrigerators in high-need neighborhoods, which will be maintained and filled by local pantries and grassroots users of these resources. This idea was born from two people dedicated to food access who connected with 11 more people who are committed to serving their community. This started with a concept and conversation: Imagine what we could do with more fresh food in neighborhoods with high poverty. Our project has been featured in the Columbus Dispatch. 

We are working toward providing people with a food access solution that is:

•       Reliable: In the same location every time
•       Accessible: Available where people are located
•       Quality-driven: Fresh product, safe, nutritious, and satisfying


Here's what it will look like:

•       Unstaffed, 24-hour accessible, temp-controlled appliance units sheltered in outdoor locations that are stocked with fresh food & produce
•       Food units can be positioned/located in the areas identified as food deserts with the highest population of those in need of healthy food
•       We'll start with 10 sites: building a wood shelter, placing a fridge and cleaning supplies, painting them in partnership with local artists, educating the community about how to use and fill them, and building connections with local pantries to sustain this effort longterm.


Who you'll be helping:

Due mainly to the Pandemic, new families who previously had limited need for food assistance now represent more than 30% of the population that local pantries support with food needs. In the past year 197,585 households were served by a food pantry in our 20-county area in Central Ohio.


We understand hunger could impact anyone.

•       People who lost their jobs temporarily and long-term
•       People who lost their jobs during the pandemic
•       Senior citizens
•       People with medical conditions
•       Single parents
•       People recently released from prison
•       People like you and me


We are committed to serving people with no judgement. We are committed to serving people who are seeking help with:

•       Food access – how far you need to travel and proximity to quality food
•       Food disparity – difference in the profiles and demographics of people with access to food
•       Food insecurity – a person at risk of arriving at a pantry due to not having enough money to support food needs


 
Why? The stigma of hunger is real:

•       Hungry neighbors are criticized for cheating the system
•       Some people don't think hungry neighbors need help
•       Hungry neighbors may be ashamed about telling the person at the pantry they need help
•       Pantries may not be open at a time convenient for working parents

 
What you'll be providing:

•       Studies by MOFC show that fresh produce consumption has the same effect as medication in lowering indicators of diabetes
•       68% of all food provided by the foodbank is fresh: produce is more than half, and milk and proteins represent rest
•       Imagine what we could do with more fresh food in neighborhoods with high poverty

 
Where

The FDA has identified high-need neighborhoods that demonstrate concerning indicators of public health that may also be food deserts. Our first three fridges will be placed in Franklinton, Southside and Far North in Columbus, Ohio.


Can you help?  We can recognize larger gifts:

$250 donation - food love care package (you can't be anonymous or we can't send it to you!)

$500 donation - your family's name listed on a "donor wall" on the pilot fridge

$1000 donation - your family's name listed on a "donor wall" in larger font on the pilot fridge on each of the first 10 fridges

$2500 donation - name one of the fridges with a prominent placard in the largest font in the front of the unit 

$5000 donation - everything of all other levels and provide a theme or inspiration for artists to base a design while decorating a fridge

Please note: All donors above $250 will receive gift recognition that includes all levels at and below their gift: for example, a $5,000 gift will include benefits of all gift levels