Norris Square Neighborhood Project plans community fridge at Raíces Garden

The Norris Square Neighborhood Project is moving forward with plans to install a community fridge at Raíces Garden near 2nd Street and Susquehanna Avenue, aiming to expand access to free food and create a low-barrier resource for neighbors facing food insecurity.

Organizers said the fridge is intended to operate around the clock, allowing neighbors to donate items or take what they need. They hope it will serve as a shared neighborhood resource while fostering a spirit of mutual support.

“It’s a mutual aid tool where people can give or take food from a fridge, or dry goods from a pantry for their use,” said Sarah Trad, NSNP’s development manager. “It prioritizes neighborhood privacy and organic engagement in how they want to interact with it.”

As part of the planning process, NSNP has been collecting community feedback to help shape the project around residents’ needs and interests. To gather input, organizers hosted meetings on Feb. 19 and Feb. 28 and are circulating a survey in English and Spanish asking neighbors about location, accessibility, likelihood of use, preferred hours of operation and the types of products community members would like to see available.

NSNP also went door-knocking with students from its Raíces de Cambio program to invite neighbors to community fridge meetings and share information about the project.

At the meeting on Feb. 28, residents discussed the area’s lack of food access and the need for more resources to make fresh, affordable food easier to obtain.

“We always hear from our neighbors that there is a need, especially in this neighborhood,” said Kensington resident Jackie Saez. “There’s not a lot of access points for food, whether it's free or for purchasing in this neighborhood.”

Many NSNP staff members have backgrounds in mutual aid, community engagement and activism. Staff members began discussing how they could support land stewardship in the neighborhood through existing programs.

“The fridge project grew out of this desire, because the majority of our staff come from immigrant families. We understand the intersectional needs of people in the community because of our lived experiences,” Trad said.

NSNP already runs several programs aimed at addressing food insecurity, and organizers said they see the community fridge as a way to complement that work as residents face continued economic pressure and uncertainty over SNAP benefits.

The Raíces de Cambio program is a youth apprenticeship initiative focused on professional development. Part of that work includes teaching outdoor learning and customer service skills through the NSNP farm stand.

“We’re using our access to this garden to give back to the community,” Trad said.

Students in the program learn about gardening, farming, food justice and the cultural impact of urban green spaces. During the summer and fall, participants run a farm stand at Raíces Garden, preparing food and produce to sell to neighbors.

Organizers said the farm stand often has leftover food that could be placed in the community fridge, especially because survey respondents said they would appreciate prepared foods being available.

The project is modeled in part on other community fridges in Philadelphia, including some in Kensington.

“Folks can just drop in and give and take, [and] might feel less pressure and stigmatizing than standing in line at a pantry," Saez said. “So I really support the model and love the approach NSNP is taking around having convenings around it and talking with neighbors and learning beforehand.”

NSNP hopes to open the fridge in May. For more information, visit NSNP’s website or follow them on Instagram or Facebook.

Have any questions, comments, or concerns about this story? Send an email to editors@kensingtonvoice.com.