The Centretown community fridge and pantry will open at 415 MacLaren Street on Wednesday, September 28.
A joint project of the Glebe St. James United Church, Ottawa Community Housing, Centretown Community Health Centre, the Arlington 5 Café, and Carleton University’s School of Architecture, its purpose is to share free food with those in need.
The project, which has been in the making over the last year, is a unique initiative to support food security in the Centretown neighborhood. The philosophy behind the community fridge and pantry is to invite Centretown residents to “take what you need and leave what you can.”
The community fridge and pantry is the result of the drive of volunteers from the Glebe St James United Church. They saw the need to develop additional means to address food insecurity in the community. The initiative is a collaboration among many partners including residents in the Centretown neighborhood. With support from Carleton University’s School of Architecture, and working with feedback and input from local residents, Carleton students designed and constructed the structure that houses the pantry and fridge.
Amanda Ryan, an Ottawa Community Housing community developer, said that local residents are excited to see the structure come to life, complete with a roof top mural that adds a playfulness to the views of residents on the upper floors of 415 MacLaren.
Susan Palmai has coordinated support from the Arlington 5 Café, which will ensure volunteers are in place to stock the fridge and pantry. Residents and local businesses will contribute fresh produce and pantry items.
“Seniors at one of the local buildings are growing vegetables to donate to the pantry and are thrilled to share the fruits of their harvest,” said Tong Zhao-Ansari, a community developer with Centretown Community Health Centre.
Centretown Emergency Food Centre (CEFC) board member Martha Musgrove said that July was a record-breaking month in terms of people accessing CEFC. She said that food bank use has been increasing steadily, with more than 600 people receiving groceries that month. “As inflation drives up food prices, there is a growing need for affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food in our neighbourhoods. Community fridges and pantries are community- inspired and directed initiatives that can be helpful to individuals and families in need. They provide an important link in the network of food security services offered in Centretown,” she said.
To volunteer for this initiative, contact Susan Palmai at palmaisusan@gmail.com.