Fridge the Gap: How a Community Fridge Initiative Doubled In Size to Increase Fresh Food Access Nationwide

What began as a small initiative to streamline the redistribution of fresh food, and create a more just, accessible, and sustainable food system, has quickly become a transformative program—reaching far more people and communities than originally imagined—with thanks to the generosity of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. 

The First 12 Fridges

Initially designed to launch at a modest scale with 12 fridges across six community-supported locations, the Food Rescue US “Fridge the Gap” initiative set out with a clear goal: increase fresh food access by combining reliable refrigeration equipment with our nimble food recovery model — and learn from the process. In keeping with our responsive, people-powered approach to our every day work, “Fridge the Gap” was grounded in deep community collaboration and tailored solutions, ensuring every fridge was placed where it could make the most impact. The Food Rescue US team worked hand-in-hand with local social service agency partners to identify the best placement and type of fridge for each location—whether indoors to expand food distribution, outdoors for increased accessibility, or in custom enclosures for long-term durability.

Immediate Impact

As the initiative rolled out, our participating locations saw immediate, tangible benefits of placing fridges in their communities — including 24/7 availability of fresh food, dignity and choice in food access, and greater community connection. The response from the field was greater than anticipated and interest in this initiative rapidly spread to more communities. 

Continued Growth

Seeing an opportunity to scale the impact of this initiative beyond our original goal, we proposed reallocating unused funds to quickly reach new communities. With the support of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, we were able to more than double the original scope of the initiative, placing 28 fridges at 26 social service agencies across the country. Through the support of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and our connection to communities, thousands more individuals will have greater access to fresh, nutritious food and our local partners will feel better equipped to fight food insecurity for the long term.