Behold the new Loisaida CommUnity Fridge

Photos by Stacie Joy

Organizers unveiled the Loisaida CommUnity Fridge and Pantry yesterday morning at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish on Avenue B at Ninth Street.

A group of community local residents and officials were on hand for the ceremonies... including Pastor Will from Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish and the Rev. Anne Sawyer from St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery ...

As previously reported, the nonprofit L.E.S. CommUnity Concerns is behind the launch of this 24/7 fridge and pantry. (Eleventh Street Workshop donated the refrigerator.) Per the organizers:

It will be guided by the philosophy of "take what you need, leave what you can," with the goal of providing relief to community members experiencing food insecurity, reducing food waste from local restaurants/groceries, and supplementing the non-24/7 food pantries in the area.

Organizers are also looking for local residents to help maintain the fridge and provide other types of administrative support. Find the volunteer form right here.

They are also accepting donations of fresh, healthy food, including canned goods. (Please label fresh food with date and ingredients.) Here is the form (link) for businesses/organizations to fill out if they'd like to donate any goods — either on a recurring basis or a one-time gift.

This will be the third local community fridge launched since the start of the pandemic ... joining the East Village Neighbors' Fridge and Pantry outside S'Mac on First Avenue and 12th Street and the one outside Overthrow on Bleecker Street near the Bowery.