Newton Community Freedge Celebrating First Anniversary

Newton MA

07 March, 2022

1:50 PM

Description

NEWTON, MA — The Newton Community freedge, a 24/7 refrigerator and pantry at 420 Watertown Street, is celebrating its first anniversary on Monday, March 14. Based on the operating principle of "take what you need, leave what you can," the freedge is a volunteer-led initiative organized by the Newton Food Pantry in collaboration with other local organizations and provides free food and personal care products to anyone who needs them. It is part of a growing network of free refrigerators in the Greater Boston area and throughout the country. "It has come from this crazy idea in the Newton Food Pantry board meeting that we wanted to reach out further than the pantries are doing, and now we have around 50 business partners," said Newton freedge Volunteer Coordinator Jennifer Riff. "We know how much stress they are under and they are still giving," she continued. On average, 11 shoppers visit the freedge every hour, and the Newton Food Pantry spends over $1,000 per month to keep it running and stocked. Volunteers are responsible for picking up food from grocery stores and local restaurants, dropping off food at the freedge, monitoring that everything inside is still good and appropriate, cleaning the freedge, and stocking it with what they have picked up. "This is one hundred percent volunteers," said Riff. "People are showing up and donating their time and donating their money and giving what they can." Although the Newton freedge started as a response to financial difficulties exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and positive cases are decreasing in the city, Riff said the need is still greater than ever and the shelves are emptying out multiple times a day. "It doesn't seem to be slowing, it seems to be busier than ever," said Riff. "We are actually having more organizations ask to join our rotation. I think people are seeing there is a great need and its a good way to support the financial stress thats going on right now." To donate items or funds to the Newton freedge, review the Donation Guidelines and bring your donations to the freedge any time of day or night, or send money via PayPal here. To volunteer, join a community partner volunteer team, or become a business partner, click here.