Love Shack: Feeding Atlanta’s Hungry One Free-Fridge at a Time
In the middle of the day at one of Decatur’s busiest intersections sits a peculiar structure housing an ordinary refrigerator. The structure is canary yellow — painted with abstract paint strokes that almost render it some kind of street art, except, it also houses shelves stuffed with canned goods, bread, and produce. A big sign on the side of the structure reveals that, in fact, is not an art installation. Rather, it’s a small pavillion providing “free food.”
According to the Free99Fridge website, the fridge located at North Decatur Presbyterian Church (NDPC), is the only one of its kind right now in the Metro Atlanta Area. The organization is also now operating as “ATL Free Fridge” and run by a committee of five volunteers — mostly from the church.
“We call the Fridge, Korryn,” Nancy Gathany, a member and volunteer at NDPC explains. The “Solidarity Fridge” was erected in honor of Korryn Gaines, a 23-year-old Black woman in Baltimore shot and killed by police in 2016. Latisha Springer, who founded Free99Fridge in 2020, chose a name for each fridge that went up around town. “All of us at church think it’s for a great cause.”
“We had a fridge for almost three years,” says Daniel Rodriguez, director of operations for Hodgepodge Coffeehouse on South Moreland Avenue. The popular coffeeshop is known for its community gallery supporting local artists, book exchange, and social activism.
“Up until last year, we partnered with Free99Fridge because it matched our beliefs and our purpose as a business. To help the community that we’re in. But it came with a lot of responsibility.”
He says that the decision not to renew the fridge for another year was a difficult one — a major factor being the mental health challenges they faced that were prevalent among some if the food station’s repeat visitors.
“We didn’t want to call the police on them — on anyone experiencing mental health setbacks. But we had to juggle that along with the comfort of our staff and customers. Our customers and employees were unfortunately being harrassed. When we would call 3–1–1, their mental health emergency response wasn’t helpful. We couldn’t get the help or support we needed.”
Daniel also mentions the daily burden of cleaning trash from the lot daily before opening the coffeehouse. Everything from food trash to used feminine hygiene products were regularly disposed of around the parking lot and business.
“We loved how many people we were helping, but it just got more difficult to maintain while also running a business. We really wanted to do our part, but those factors made it really difficult.”
The free fridge at North Decatur Presbyterian has taken steps toward navigating some of the nuances of safety and cleanliness, and have done so successfully since installing their station in November of 2021. They have strategically placed signage mounted on the bright yellow structure warning of surveillance cameras and encouraging usage of its built-in waste receptacles and a sink provided by Love Beyond Walls: a College Park based non-profit “sharing health through hand washing” in areas heavily populated with people experiencing homelessness.
“We have kind of a schedule when it comes to maintenance,” says Nancy, who describes a daily schedule involving morning wellness checks, a midday food drop, and evening clean ups — all activities that keep volunteers informed on upkeep and food neccessity via Slack and Instagram social apps.
“We also get lots of help from the church’s gardening crew. They help keep the area looking neat.”
Customers of the free fridge have for the most part been respectful, though. A fact that Nancy points out as largely being due to working families in the area expressing the most need — that the daily cost of living and lack of ability to afford groceries are too much of an economic burden.
And while keeping the fridge is high maintenance, Nancy asserts that the church has no plans to remove the bright yellow free-food station erected on its grounds.
“Like Latisha said,” she adds, “it would be nice if something like this wasn’t needed. The customers of the fridge want it to stay open. So, as long as its working or helping someone, it will be there.”
For more information on volunteering, donating, housing a Free Fridge, visit ATLfreefridge.slack.com, or email atlfreefridge@gmail.com.
