Spaces where systemic neglect can be met with systemic overabundance present opportunities for authentic community engagement. Community fridges are an innovative grassroots effort to redistribute resources, providing 24/7 access to food without barriers. Mestaz Law is proud to support this work.

What Are Community Fridges?

Community fridges are ordinary refrigerators placed in public spaces where anyone can drop off or take food without questions, paperwork, or red tape. They’re often artist-decorated appliances, operating on a simple principle: take what you need, leave what you don’t.

Unlike traditional food pantries, these projects encourage anyone to put food in and take food out without limit, helping to remove the barriers associated with its use.

The concept is beautifully straightforward. The fridges take a decentralized approach, often being maintained by a network of volunteers, community members, local businesses, and larger organizations.

The National Food Crisis Context

Now more than ever, work like this is a desperate need. Millions of people every year are subject to food insecurity. During the first several years of the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people lost income sources and housing, food insecurity became significantly more prevalent. Still, five years later, many people simply don’t have the resources to consistently access food.

Community fridges directly address this problem. They create a pipeline from surplus food to hungry neighbors, providing food where they might have once gone without.

A Movement Born from Crisis

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, community fridges emerged as a response to the significant increase in food insecurity. New York City developed its own form of community fridges, nicknamed “Friendly Fridges,” in early 2020, the first one placed by an activist group, In Our Hearts. Since then, the movement has caught on nationwide. There are more than 150 installments in the US, ranging from Los Angeles to Boston.

But the true beauty and community fridges lie in their community-building power. Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, and organizers say community efforts like this one are bringing people together to dialogue and help one another.

Phoenix’s Unique Challenge

Phoenix, AZ, where temperatures reach deadly extremes, faces its own unique challenges. With growing numbers of unhoused individuals struggling to survive Phoenix’s deadly heat and more than 40 valley neighborhoods experiencing food apartheid, community fridge sites provide substantive support for the communities they serve.

There are currently three valley locations that serve diverse communities in the Phoenix area:

• 1332 E Taylor St, Phoenix 85006 – Features a fridge, pantry, and garden in the front yard
• 1245 E Diamond St, Phoenix 85006 – Fridge and pantry next to the sidewalk
• 706 W Encanto Blvd, Phoenix 85007 – Fridge located in the alley behind the house

These locations are known for not only providing food, but also shoes, umbrellas/shade canopies, and other essentials for both community families and neighbors living outside. School supplies, clothing, bedding, and other harm reduction items are also much appreciated.

Building Sustainable Solutions

Some critics of community fridges consider them a temporary fix, but they’re becoming far more permanent than most people realize. While these fridges and pantries address symptoms rather than root causes, they also create meaningful opportunities to strengthen community bonds and engage in dynamics that are dignity-affirming, life-giving, and regenerative.

Phoenix’s initiative acknowledges this reality, recognizing that while fridges provide immediate relief, they also create opportunities for broader community engagement.

Why This Matters to Mestaz Law

As a law firm, we understand the importance of access, dignity, and removing barriers that prevent people from getting help when they need it. Community fridges embody all those principles and address food insecurity. According to Andy Fisher, co-founder of the Community Food Security Coalition, “Community fridges are wonderful, they’re not institutionalized, they’re not big business. They’re a friendly way for neighbors to take care of one another.”

We support this endeavor’s commitment to strengthening the communities where we live and work. Rather than traditional charity models that create dependency, community fridges operate on principles of mutual aid and shared responsibility.

Corporate Impact and Community Building

When businesses support grassroots initiatives, it creates a powerful ripple effect. We recognize that community fridges help ensure that these vital community resources remain operational, demonstrating that corporate responsibility can take many forms. It’s about recognizing that thriving communities benefit everyone, not just publicity or tax benefits.

As food costs have surged, more people have turned to food banks and mobile distribution sites to support their increased grocery bills. In an uncertain future, community fridges and other grassroots efforts like them can stave off fears of food supply shortages.

How You Can Get Involved

Community fridges succeed because of community participation. Whether you’re an individual, business, or organization, there are many ways to support this work:

• Donate fresh produce, canned goods, or prepared meals (with proper labeling)
• Contribute essential items like clothing, school supplies, or hygiene products
• Volunteer time to help maintain and stock fridges
• Spread awareness about locations and needs in your network
• Consider hosting a fridge in your neighborhood

To learn more about Phoenix’s Community Fridge locations or to get involved, contact mutualaidphx@gmail.com. For information about Mestaz Law, visit our website or contact our team directly.