Marin Community Fridges

About Community Fridges

Community fridges are a mutual aid space where people take responsibility in caring for one another by redistributing resources.

Fridges are set up and run by the people, for the people, and they serve as a solution for both food insecurity, and food waste.
Free food for all.

No questions asked.

Take what you need, leave what you don’t!

Marin County Locations

Christ Presbyterian Church
620 Del Ganado Rd
San Rafael, CA

Fridge is located at the side of the building and drive-up accessible.

Hosted by a neighbor
22 Frances St,
San Rafael, CA

(Refrigerator with pantry shelving)

First Presbyterian Church
72 Kensington Road,
San Anselmo, CA 94960

(Refrigerator with pantry shelving)

How Does It Work?

Hosting a Fridge

Individuals, businesses, or churches volunteer to HOST a fridge on their property–ideally, in a location with high foot traffic.

Stocking a Fridge

Food comes from individuals, restaurants, grocers, farms, cafes, anyone with the capacity to give!

Maintaining a Fridge

Volunteers are constantly coordinating donation pick-ups, drop-offs, cleaning schedules, fundraising and promotion efforts! The more hands on deck, the lighter the load for everyone. πŸ™‚

Why Not Just Direct Efforts & Funds to Existing Food Agencies?

There are people and organizations doing great work, but stigma around food security and barriers to access still exist.

Through COVID-19, we have seen a growing need for financial and nutritional aid. The goal is to provide 24/7 access to free, fresh and nutritious food.

We also want participatory, citizen-led initiatives because engaging neighbors results in an engaged and caring city.

Why Does Marin Need This?

Marin County is one of the healthiest and wealthiest counties in the NATION. Yet ~20% of the population–1 in 5 residents–are at risk of food insecurity.

There are ~8,000 Marin households enrolled in the State of California’s CalFresh Program. The monthly allotment for a one-person household is $194–a little more than $6 per day….

Photo by Jonathan Bumble

Build Community

You will need to build a network of community members in your area committed to supporting maintain, stock, clean and sanitize the fridge! The more folks committed, the less “work” for all! Get creative!

Provide Electricity

The expected cost to provide power to the fridge is about $15-$30/month. Encourage neighbors to participate and support these costs!

Find an Outdoor Space

The fridge ideally needs to be accessible 24/7. The main goal is to get the fridge up and running, but you will eventually work to build a small shed to shelter the fridge from the elements.
It is very important that potential hosts know we do not collaborate with law enforcement and we do not want their presence around these fridges. This is for the safety of our community, to ensure everyone can feel safe and comfortable visiting these fridges. Marin County has a Mobile Crisis Response Team who can be reached at (415) 473-6392.

Fridge Guidelines

 WHAT TO GIFT THE FRIDGE:

βœ” Fresh Fruit
βœ” Fresh Vegetables
βœ” Breads + Pastries (with packaging)
βœ” Non-perishable pantry items (e.g. rice, pasta, canned food, etc)
βœ” Personal hygiene products (e.g. toothpaste, lotion, individually wrapped toilet paper, pads, tampons, etc.)
βœ” Personal protective equipment (e.g. masks, gloves, hand warmers, etc)
βœ” Individually wrapped plastic utensils

WHAT NOT TO GIFT THE FRIDGE:

❌ ANY Meat, Raw or otherwise
❌ Alcoholic beverages
❌ Expired items
❌ Household furniture or items (e.g. tables, blankets, pots, etc)
❌ Clothing (e.g. jackets, shoes, etc)
❌ Pet supplies
❌ Children’s toys
❌ Condoms
❌ Anything you wouldn’t feed to your family

Will You Donate Today?

The network needs funds ($) for:

Refrigerators

  • New or loved

Sanitation Supplies

  • Hand sanitizer
  • Paper towels
  • Sanitizing sprays
  • Disinfecting wipes
  • Baking soda

Weatherproof Shelter Materials

  • Wood planks
  • Outdoor paint
  • Brushes
  • Metal fasteners

Food!

  • Fresh produce
  • Non-perishable items (which include breads and jams)

Join The Network!

Community fridges cannot exist without COMMUNITY

Email: marincommunityfridges@gmail.com to get involved.

Fill out a participation form here: https://linktr.ee/marincommunityfridges

Photo by Christina Champlin

Pin It on Pinterest