What items can be donated?

Fruits and vegetables

Bread

Dairy products

Eggs

Meat

Non-dairy milk

Prepared meals and sandwiches (labeled with ingredients and expiration dates)

Baby food

Pet food

Canned goods and non-perishables 

Hygiene products (soap, toothpaste, shampoo, tampons, maxi-pads, etc.)

Who will keep the fridge stocked?

We receive donations 5 days a week from Cultivate Food Rescue as well as weekly donations of produce from Sunchoke Farms.  Individuals can make contributions as can organizations.  We are open to partnering with schools, service clubs, farms, and faith-based organizations.

How is a community fridge different than a food pantry?

A community fridge can offer fresh food not usually provided by food pantries in addition to non-perishable items.  Because there's no paperwork and there are no hours of operation, food can be accessed when most convenient.  

What about safety?

To ensure safety, all perishable items and pre-prepared meals should be labeled with ingredients and expiration dates.  Unlabeled food items will be removed.  

Are there other community fridges in South Bend?

The NNN's community fridge is the first of its kind in South Bend, but we hope that it will inspire others to undertake similar projects.

Can opened containers of food and household goods be provided?

Open packages of food cannot be accepted. 

Household items like open but unused containers of batteries, hygiene products (like tampons, pads, condoms, etc) can be . 

What other items will the resource house?

The fridge is housed in a shed that includes cupboards.  Because of this we will have room for other goods like pet food, hygiene products, dry goods, etc. 

We want to challenge the way we provide community to one another. Think of this as a Community Resource Shed.