Helping the Neighborhood: New Orleans Community Fridges





 February total hours: 6


For the month of February, this year is a lot different in New Orleans due to the pandemic and the cancellation of Mardi Gras. New Orleans as a city has been through a lot in the past year, and although our city is resilient, we can all agree that this is a time in which we all need a helping hand. 

Amidst the hard times, natives of New Orleans came together in the middle of the pandemic and started the group- New Orleans Community Fridges, which is a website as well as a virtual social media platform that is led by community initiative placing. There are over sixteen locations of fully functioning refrigerators that are placed in safe areas around New Orleans. When I first saw this, I was not surprised by how sweet and unique the idea was. As long as the addresses of the locations of fridges became more loud and proud, more locations were added. The way the NOLA fridges work are very simple: go to your nearest community fridge, and try to make sure it is fully stocked, cleaned, and working. The philosophy is simple: take what you need, leave what you can. I have stopped by the local fridges on Palmyra and Hagan in my neighborhood in Mid-city since they opened the 2 nearest fridges. Not only does this community group help citizens who may be hungry, but some locations provide extra stuff such as baby supplies, contraceptives, dog food, etc. It is truly a great feeling knowing you are leaving something as simple as a full fridge for people who may need it. This is something I have found to be so niche for New Orleans, in terms of getting multiple local restaurants and shops to donate and volunteer as well. First hand, I have seen the word of mouth increase, as well as this group helping over five hundred families in need. This is a great idea because it keeps everyone on their toes. I have never seen either of the Mid-city  fridge locations empty before, which makes you realize how strong our community is in helping individuals that they will probably never meet. It's a cute idea, that implements necessities and a nice check-and-balance system that even alerts your local area when a fridge is broken or running low on something. I am proud to have been apart of this, and I hope the fridges stay around even after the pandemic! What's even more beautiful is the fact that the refrigerators are often painted by local artists, so they are unique, colorful, and saving lives!

                            























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