Residents from around Gainesville gathered outside the Civic Media Center Tuesday afternoon to see the city’s newest effort to combat food insecurity.
The project titled Gainesville Community Fridge is Gainesville’s first free-access refrigerator. The community fridge, located at 433 S. Main St., allows neighbors to donate and receive food products based on need. The project, headed by 21-year-old Ariana Marenco, was inspired by her own experiences growing up in South Florida.
“The inspiration came when I was younger coming from personal experiences with food insecurity and my own involvement in stocking the community fridges back in Miami,” Marenco said. “That inspired me when I saw there was a need in the community in Gainesville.”
Marenco said the project is a culmination of community effort, bringing together Gainesville organizations, including Free Grocery Store, Food Not Bombs Gainesville and other groups willing to support the fridge’s mission of a mutual aid initiative via food donations and fridge maintenance. Neighbors, farms and businesses can bring produce, pantry items and other essentials to stock the fridge.
While the community has done its part in ushering in the creation of the fridge project, a grant for $1,167 by the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area provided the initial setup costs to allow the fridge to become operational.
“I got a grant from the GCRA a couple months ago, and since then we’ve been working on the logistics,” Marenco said. “Because of them, we have the funding to make this project happen.”
With grocery goods in hand, community members lined up to fill the fridge with their share of the donation pile. Among them was Isabella Abad, a student at the University of Florida and Marenco’s roommate who came to support the fridge’s grand opening.
“She's been working on this project for so long,” Abad said. “We’re all really happy that it finally came true and just wanted to support her.”
Abad said that a community fridge has potential to enact positive change in the community and create a lasting difference in Gainesville.
“We just wanted to come bring food to help out the community,” Abad said. “This is a great initiative to make sure everybody has something to eat and expand on the Gainesville fridge network.”
With Gainesville currently in a freeze warning until Jan. 28, resources for those experiencing food insecurity can become scarce. People like Lashanda Bradley who use these resources understand this feeling all too well. Bradley expressed joy in having these amenities available for everyday use.
“It feels good to have somebody to open up something for the homeless to eat and people that don’t have food,” Bradley said.
Bradley attended the event with several members of her family and was able to receive food supplies, like noodles. Bradley emphasized that the fridge represents a step toward progress for the city, but more needs to be done.
“They need more help with people’s housing and more help for the community,” Bradley said. “I just want everybody to be happy and live a better life.”
Gainesville Community Fridge encourages residents to visit the fridge once a week to assist in cleaning it, checking for food freshness, and helping keep it well-stocked.
“We’re all fighting the same fight: food insecurity,” Marenco said.
Marenco said the best way to contact those involved with the fridge is via Instagram or email, at community.fridge@floridainnovation.org for maintenance updates and requests.
Above all else, Marenco said she hopes the project can send a message that inspires other initiatives from Gainesville’s youth looking to make change in the community.
“Get organized,” Marenco said. “Get out there and see what needs to be done in your community.”