When did the project start?
Planning for this project has been ongoing throughout the past couple of months. The fridge will be up and running for campus members to utilize at the beginning of September 2021.
How do students access the items in the community fridge?
Students can visit the community fridge on the second floor of the Riddell Centre, right by the URSU Member Services Desk. The items in the fridges and on the shelves are available for anyone to take. You will not have to sign in or talk to anyone. Please feel free to grab whatever you need for yourself from the community fridge.
Where did the need for the project come from? Why are community fridges important?
The need for this project stems from the fact that students deserve to be fed nutritious food that is both accessible and affordable. A community fridge allows students to easily access foods, whenever they need them, free of charge. We hope that by eliminating stressors that are associated with acquiring and consuming food, we will help students succeed in their personal and academic lives.
Community fridges are important because they are meant to be stigma-free and based on the principles of mutual aid. A supportive community is built through the cycle of giving and receiving between everyone involved. Community fridges exist to remind everyone that food security is a human right.
What groups or organizations have you worked with on this project?
We have done lots of our learning through other local community fridges in the city. We have also been involved with the FridgeFreedge community, where we have received tons of ideas. Denson Commercial Food Equipment supported this project by supplying us with quality refrigerators at a discounted price. We also have partnerships through the Regina Food Bank and Save On Foods, and some of the food you see in the fridge will be donated by them.
Are there plans to expand it such as adding another location?
There will be a second community fridge located in the First Nations University. If the project goes well, and we see a need to add the fridges to other locations, we can hopefully expand the project.
