MOTT HAVEN, the Bronx — Community fridges have been popping up all across the city to combat food insecurity.
Two 6th grade teachers in the Bronx saw a need in their neighborhood and created the first community fridge in Mott Haven. Daniel Zauderer and Charlotte Alvarez, who work at the American Dream charter school in the Bronx.started the program because their students were struggling to get food.
“I saw one of my students. Behind him there was an older woman digging for something in the trash. He told me that was what his grandmother and that’s what she had to do everyday to provide food for them,” said Zauderer.
The sight moved them into action. While there are dozens of community fridges all across New York City, from Harlem to Bushwick, the Mott Haven fridge is maintained by the parents of the 6th grade class at American Dream.
Venus Tirado is one of those parents.
“There is a church nearby and families are afraid to get help, they are undocumented,” said Tirado.
The Mott Haven fridge is only two weeks old and already has its own Instagram. Zauderer and Alvarez have teamed up with the Bronx Foundation but still need support to keep it filled. If you want to give to the Mott Haven community fridge, visit their GoFundMe.
There is a ribbon-cutting for the new fridge scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 18 at 2 p.m.
You can also help out community fridges in Harlem and in Bushwick.
