PDX Free Fridge: An Effective Mutual Aid Program Fighting Food Insecurity

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Food insecurity is a serious issue that disproportionately affects homeless individuals. Significant barriers are in place for homeless people to gain access to the appropriate amount of food, as well as to food with the appropriate nutritional value. There is a bit of a negative feedback loop as well pertaining to food insecurity and physical/mental health. As food is our main energy source, helping to replenish our bodies and minds, a lack there of this energy source will directly affect one’s mental and physical health. Poor physical health or impairment will cause constraint with someone’s ability to obtain the appropriate food, and thus this can cause a spiraling into worse and worse conditions of physical and mental health. Since homeless people are disproportionately impaired by poor mental and physical health, this causes them to be very vulnerable to food insecurity. This is a concern that should not be ignored, rather we should support houseless individuals with food so that we can help them not fall into this negative cycle.

It may feel difficult to know where to start when helping to dispel food insecurity. One such program exists in Portland, OR, USA, that is an amazing example of direct action to fight this issue. This program is called “PDX Free Fridge” and can serve as a great example of how to get boots on the ground to fight food insecurity.

 

So how does this program work, you may ask? Essentially, home owners install fridges or pantries in their front yards, that are free to access for anyone. If you are a housed person wanting to help, you are welcome to head over to them and refill them, or if you are in need or food or other household products, you can head over to help yourself. These fridges are hosted by community members and volunteers who take care of them, keeping them clean and stocked. On any given day, you can find vegetables, fruit, protein, snacks, cooked meals, as well as hygiene products and sometimes clothing or small personal items such as gloves or hats. Some places even maintain microwaves and charging stations. This program really helps on such a local level. There's no paperwork, fees, or hoops to jump though both for donators and recipients, which makes it incredibly easy to help. The accessibility is as simple as can be, and it directly helps those in need.

 

I hope this program can be an example for other cities to follow. It’s a helpful direct action that simply works.

 

Head on over to the PDX Free Fridge website (link below) where you can find community guidelines, a start up packet if you want to start a fridge, a FAQ as well as a downloadable map of all the free fridges around Portland!

 

Click this link to find out more!


Works Cited:

Fitzpatrick, K.M., Willis, D.E. Homeless and hungry: food insecurity in the land of plenty. Food Sec. 13, 3–12 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01115-x

Carew, M. (2022, April 19). Feeding families: Local free fridges and pantries address food insecurity. PDX Parent. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://pdxparent.com/feeding-families-local-free-fridges-and-pantries-address-food-insecurity/

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