Local Open Access Fridge (LOAF)
VFR: Tell us about how the Local Open Access Fridge (LOAF) program came to fruition?
LOAF: Two important groups came together to establish the LOAF. In late March 2021, one of our organizers put up a post on Instagram asking if anyone would be interested in getting a community fridge set up in our neighbourhood (Hastings-Sunrise). From there, five of us started meeting on Zoom to try and figure out how to make this happen. Shortly into this process, a group of master’s students from UBC contacted us. They had been working on a project to set up a community fridge, and they had a location. A perfect match! We’ve been organizing together ever since, and more people have joined the team along the way :)
VFR: What exactly is a community fridge? Please tell us how the program works!
LOAF: A community fridge is a community-based mutual aid initiative aiming to provide free, healthy, and nutritious food to anyone and everyone who may need it. The main goal of a community fridge is to reduce food insecurity while also mitigating food waste and engaging community members.
Community fridges are usually established in places that are easily accessible by the public. A small structure is built to house the appliance(s) and any pantry space. The surrounding community then uses and fills the fridge on a ‘take what you need, leave what you can’ basis. The LOAF project is completely volunteer run! The team consists of organizers, fridge checkers who ensure the food is fresh and keep things clean, transport volunteers who pick up weekly donations to bring to the fridge, and every single person who spreads the word, donates, or interacts with the LOAF.
VFR: What has the response been from the community around this project, both from those donating food items as well as those utilizing the donations? Please share some stories or “moments” that highlight how this project is working.
LOAF: The response has mostly been very positive. We have many stories, as we connect with people at the LOAF while folks are donating items or while they’re using it, where we all get to have moments of gratitude. The day we officially launched the Hastings-Sunrise location, the group of organizers hung out and got to meet a lot of people. One of our awesome supporters came by with her whole Jeep full of groceries and personal care items. Later that day someone stopped by and was able to find all the food items that usually eat up the grocery bill: milk, eggs, cheese, and bread. She walked away excited – she could now buy her grandkids a treat because of the money she had saved. It’s been heartwarming for us and the community, and I think it’s been a needed source of human connection amid the craziness of the pandemic.
VFR: In the discussion around community fridges, increasing social cohesion, reducing barriers, and promoting mutual aid (as opposed to charity) are often mentioned. Tell us more about these aspects of community fridges.
LOAF: This is a big one!
Basically, the theory of mutual aid is that it can be a catalyst for increasing social cohesion and reducing barriers. The way we have defined it is that mutual aid encourages an equitable relationship between everyone involved in the project. The fridge belongs to the community, and the community determines its needs. Mutual aid is not something new, nor something the folks at the LOAF created. It has deep historical and present-day roots in Black and Indigenous communities and has also developed out of the need for alternative ways of being in a colonized, white supremacist, capitalistic world.
Regan de Loggans, a Mississippi Choctaw/Ki’Che Maya two-spirit agitator, artist, and author, has written about both the history of mutual aid and the criminalization that Black, Indigenous, and communities of colour face when practicing and creating systems of mutual aid. They shared in a recent article that mutual aid “ushers in community sufficiency, challenging us to share - rather than hoard - wealth and land.” Their recent article, “The co-option of mutual aid” and their zine, “Let’s Talk Mutual Aid,” provide a wealth of knowledge and information that outlines what mutual aid is, how it came to be, the risk of co-option, and the core of it being redistribution, care for one another, and dismantling harmful systems of oppression for all. We encourage anyone interested in understanding and learning more about mutual aid to turn to these resources, among others, for an understanding of its roots and its purpose, as we are all still learning and unlearning.
There are challenges and barriers within our current food security system: traditional food banks may have limited fresh food, food banks can be hard to get to, and they have specific hours to access the food. On top of that, food programs often require proof of economic need. Although these systems are needed at this time and provide an important service, we aim to alleviate as many barriers as possible through the LOAF. When it comes to the fridge, we are open 24/7 for anyone to take whatever they need – no questions asked.
People who donate food to the fridge are automatically reducing barriers to accessing food. As mentioned, the fridge is available 24/7, so there is no pressure to arrive at a certain time. Lastly, because the fridge is a stand-alone structure that isn’t controlled by anyone, there is a level of anonymity and a lack of monitoring, which we believe is essential for anyone accessing food, anytime. We really try to emphasize the need to not “police” anyone who accesses the fridge, meaning to not ask questions as to how much is being taken or why, simply just allowing anyone to come and take whatever it is they need. This is a core piece of what makes a community fridge what it is.
As for social cohesion, the fridge being set in the public makes food insecurity more visible to the surrounding community. It gives the neighbourhood something to focus on as well as something to work on together.
VFR: Over time, it’s been shown that community fridges can become neighbourhood hubs for conversations and advocacy around the root causes of food insecurity, such as poverty and lack of affordable housing. Is this something you have witnessed or are thinking about as the LOAF continues?
LOAF: The fridge is definitely a hub for conversations amongst community members. We have all witnessed or had conversations with people who have been encouraged to think about food insecurity a bit more. People have gone out and told all their friends about the fridge, or people pass by saying, “I’m going to the store; I will grab a couple of extras.”
Food insecurity is the result of various systemic issues and structures, so there is not one solution to this issue. We hope the fridge acts as a catalyst for change and a reminder of the need to take care of one another. We are thinking deeply about the LOAF’s role in addressing these greater systemic issues, and we want to turn to the community and listen – our neighbours can help guide the LOAF in terms of where it needs to go.
VFR: What does 2022 hold for the LOAF? Do you have plans to expand?
LOAF: We’re still figuring that out! We’ve resumed our biweekly meetings and have been focusing on what our priorities are for the year ahead. We absolutely want to do more community building between our volunteers and within the community. We want to figure out ways to share knowledge through various outreach strategies: social media, sharing our resources on food insecurity, and potentially some in-person events.
VFR: How can individuals get involved and support the LOAF’s mission? What food items can and cannot be donated?
LOAF: There are so many ways to get involved, and no involvement is too small. You can volunteer as a fridge checker, or help with transporting large donations, or reach out to local businesses to secure regular food donations. Or you can connect with us about joining the organizing team and help out behind the scenes. You can also contribute your ideas through the survey on our website. And, of course, you can donate food and goods.
Tell your friends as well! Lots of people have never heard of a community fridge and spreading the word really supports in normalizing its use and contributes to more donations of food to the fridge. Follow us on Instagram for updates and info! IG: @loafridge.
Finally, if you're interested in finding a fridge near you, the Vancouver Community Fridge Project also has a number of fridges in our city. You can find a map of their community fridges located in Vancouver here.
Accepted Donations:
IMPORTANT: All items must be unopened and unused
Fresh/Frozen Fruit, Fresh/Frozen Vegetables, Dry Goods, Canned Goods, Grab and Go Foods, Sealed Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Bread and Pastries, Eggs, Dairy Products, Garden Produce that has been washed
Baby Food and Formula, Baby Diapers, Adult Diapers, Wet Wipes, Menstrual Products, Hygiene Items, and Pet Food
Donations that are NOT accepted:
Raw Meat or Seafood, Expired Food, Moldy Produce or Bread, Alcohol, Dented Cans, Half Eaten Food or Home Cooked Food.
We also do not accept Household Goods or Clothing, as we aim to keep the space Food Focused.
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