Social Issues

Community fridges help fight hunger in New York

By Jorge Fuentelsaz Franganillo

New York, Jul 23 (efe-epa).- Community fridges have sprung up around New York during the coronavirus pandemic to help residents struggling with food insecurity.

Bushwick is a work-class neighborhood in Brooklyn where a flourishing community of artists and hipsters have left their mark in the form of hundreds of colorful murals on walls and doors.

It is also home to several “friendly fridges” which are stocked with free food for anyone who needs it.

“This fridge is for everyone, take food, leave food. Be safe and be well,” a message reads on the door of one.

The fridge is located next to the Abracadabra Cafe, which provided the space and donates the electricity for it to run.

Briona Calderón Navarro, one of the volunteers in the initiative, tells Efe: “The goal is for each street to have a fridge that is organized by the people who live there, take responsibility, clean, do projects for the children on their block so that everyone knows each other and that is how we are sharing.

“We create more support for the community, especially in difficult times.”

The fridge project started about three months ago after the emergence of Covid-19, which has seen a huge increase in the number of New Yorkers struggling financially.

It is managed by a group of more than 200 volunteers who stock and clean the food caches.

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