OUR CITY //
An open door Community fridges have popped up in Mid City, and good neighbors are stocking it for those in need
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“To me, mutual aid is the non-transactional care for other people where you get nothing out of it,” he says. “It’s about caring for the survival of other people.” Not long after the fridge debuted outside Yes We Cannibal at 1600 Government St. in September, another fridge popped up at The Red Shoes, 2303 Government St., in late October. “We were on board from the beginning,” says Wendy Herschman, executive director at The Red Shoes. “I loved the idea from the start.” Though all donations are welcome, Keel and Herschman say that some are more helpful than others. Items in high demand at both fridges are readyto-eat meals, drinks, frozen meals and meal kits. Keel says people who use the fridges might not have the proper kitchen tools to prepare foods that require a lot of prep work.
[225] January 2022 | 225batonrouge.com
Baton Rouge Community Fridge at Yes We Cannibal
ARIANA ALLISON
IF YOU’VE DRIVEN along Government Street lately, you may have noticed some brightly colored sheds in front of the Yes We Cannibal art space and The Red Shoes nonprofit center. Though they seem small, these sheds house community fridges and pantries stocked with items like dairy products, frozen dinners, canned vegetables, soups and boxed pasta. Known as the Baton Rouge Community Fridges, they are meant for anyone to take what they need and give what they can. It’s all in an effort to support those struggling with food insecurity. Mat Keel, a community fridge volunteer and co-founder of Yes We Cannibal, says the project came about after seeing similar fridges pop up in other big cities. Keel, who co-founded the fridge alongside a group of volunteers, says its purpose is all about mutual aid.
When donating to the community fridge, Keel hopes people will keep certain things in mind. “Surrender your expectations about what you think poverty is or the reasons why you think people use this fridge,” he says. “Put stuff that you would eat. Treat other people like human beings; don’t treat these fridges like you wouldn’t treat your own kitchen. And above all, be empathetic.”
Herschman says she hopes more people hear about the fridges and help to spread the word. “These fridges tell people who often feel invisible that people out there care,” she says. “You don’t have to jump through any hoops to get something you need. You just have to come open the shed door.” brcommunityfridge.com
—OLIVIA DEFFES