The Love Fridge Embodies Community Mutual Aid Through Food

Written by Vocalo Radio on August 3, 2020

On July 26 a refrigerator appeared in Chicago’s Little Village … surrounded by shelving sheltered under a roof. Not even a week later Marz Brewery in Bridgeport announced their own multi-colored painted refrigerator, operating and ready to be stocked.

These rapidly multiplying refrigerators are the project of Chicago collective The Love Fridge, an organization focused on combating food scarcity and waste by providing nourishment to neighborhoods and communities.

Inspired by similar projects in cities like Los Angeles and New York, The Love Fridge provides neighborhoods with “community fridges.” Residents can freely receive and donate food to keep their communities well-fed at any hour of the day, any day of the week. The fridges are decorated and adorned by local artists to accurately represent the communities they serve, making each fridge as diverse and unique as the communities they call home.

So far, The Love Fridge has two refrigerators stocked and open for use. The first fridge was installed on July 26 in Little Village, the second is on the premises of Marz Brewing Company in Bridgeport. A third fridge is set to be installed in Moreno’s Liquors, also in Little Village, soon.

Every day, The Love Fridge is accepting donations of refrigerators to keep expanding the project’s reach.