Our group was partnered with the South End Community Fridge for the Summer 2 2022 term.
During the past six weeks, we spent time cleaning the fridge, meeting with each other and Laura (co-director of the fridge), raising money and collecting products, making social media posts, and reaching out to local businesses to set up community food rescue partnerships.
During the past six weeks, we spent time cleaning the fridge, meeting with each other and Laura (co-director of the fridge), raising money and collecting products, making social media posts, and reaching out to local businesses to set up community food rescue partnerships.
Meet the Team
and read how this experience expanded our knowledge of Food Justice and Community Development
Task Coordinator- Bridget
Leads the process of ensuring that everyone understands and is following through on their role, assigns tasks to ensure timelines are being met, plans the schedule for team meetings, etc I think its cool to see the positive impact the fridge has had on the community. I think it is also cool to see the people that are using the fridge. It has been cool to see that the people that benefit from the fridge often times are not homeless, but also just looking to affordably enhance their dinners on a budget. Realizing not just the homeless population benefit from the fridge really opened my eyes that the fridge can benefit anyone and everyone, not just those who might be the most in need. |
Communication Liaison- Oriana
Communicates with Becca, Kelly, and/or the community partner representative to convey any questions or requests for support, responds to questions on behalf of group when necessary I’ve learned more about food access through this service-learning placement. Although I don’t believe that community fridges will revolutionize our food system, it is a much more community-centered approach to share food with neighbors and reduce food waste. I really like the 24/7 access aspect because it removes barriers such as time constraints, proof of identification or income. Food should be available for everyone- without judging need or eligibility. I have experienced an emotional attachment to the fridge through volunteering and dropping off food. I think that buy-in creates a more collective mentality. It’s exciting to know that Northeastern has a community fridge and I hope that as university students move into Boston neighborhoods that they share a community-oriented mindset. Although our partnership with this fridge was brief, we still experienced the instability that community fridges can face/ create. When doing research on community fridges as mutual aid, I came across an op-ed that claimed “true mutual aid” requires a consistent presence in a community. With the existence of the South End community fridge currently in flux, the shortcomings of this type of food insecurity solution is very clear. |
Notetaker & Technology Lead - Jack
Takes notes during team and meetings with partner organizations. For the StoryMap project, this is the person responsible for uploading all of the information gathered by other team members. For the group ePortfolio, this person takes the lead on setting it up and ensuring that it is populated appropriately throughout the semester. This experience has definitely expanded my knowledge of food justice by demonstrating how small organizations have the power to make such a big impact within the community. Food scarcity in Boston was something which I did not know much about before taking this course, but I’m so glad to have the opportunity to experience firsthand how different organizations have made such a significant difference in so many people’s lives. |
Schedule Manager- Madeleine
Schedules group meetings, designates the location and/or sets up virtual meetings in Teams or Zoom. I feel really grateful to be able to participate in something outside of Northeastern, as this project has taught me so much more about the Boston community as a whole. Attending college in Boston makes it so easy to be wrapped up in life at Northeastern, without making the effort to learn more about or give back to the greater Boston community that we live in. It has been so great to see the sheer number of people who bring things to the South End Community Fridge, and I feel like it is a project that so many people in the neighborhood have gotten involved in, which I didn't really expect when I first heard about the fridge. |
Our Contract
We agree to have open communication and weekly meetings
Group meetings will be between a half an hour to an hour on Thursdays at 1:30 pm ET
Everybody pitches in where they can and responsibilities are clearly stated and understood
If anyone needs help, ask for it
We will hold each other accountable for these responsibilities
Everything that needs to be tracked will be added to our shared Google folder
Group meetings will be between a half an hour to an hour on Thursdays at 1:30 pm ET
Everybody pitches in where they can and responsibilities are clearly stated and understood
If anyone needs help, ask for it
We will hold each other accountable for these responsibilities
Everything that needs to be tracked will be added to our shared Google folder