Green EDGE Fund Fridge Project to Start Mid-April

Alexa Stevens

News Editor Ava Miller Senior Staff Writer

For the past several months, College fourth-year Anokha Venugopal and third-year Charlotte Spence have been working with the Green EDGE Fund to create a community fridge to serve and be stocked by the broader Oberlin community of College students and residents. The fridge is set to open for use mid-April.

Community fridge programs have popped up throughout the United States as part of grassroots responses to food insecurity since the early days of the pandemic.

Community fridges serve as a free system where members of the community are asked to “take what you need, leave what you can.” In this way, they ideally operate on non-judgmental, honor system principles. Venugopal and Spence hope that the fridge will be regularly stocked and cleaned by a network of student and community member volunteers.

The community fridge project will supplement existing free and affordable food options in Oberlin, such as those provided by Oberlin Community Services. OCS is a public service organization located on South Professor Street. It already offers 10 different food programs including drive-up food distributions and pop-up pantries, as well as programs at Oberlin City Schools. Although OCS is not officially affiliated with the community fridge, Food Programs Coordinator Liv Hanson is excited about Spence and Venugopal’s initiative.

“I think it has the capability to fill a real gap, especially around timing, where OCS is only open nine to five on weekdays,” Hanson said. “A community fridge, at least in theory, might be open 24 hours a day. It would be reaching people who might not be able to get to us.”

The fridge will consist of a pantry to hold dry foods and household items and a refrigerator that will have fresh groceries. These resources will be completely free, and the fridge will be available 24/7 to anyone who needs it.

According to a VOX article about community fridges, “Although official data is not yet available, Feeding America estimated that the number of food-insecure Americans almost doubled to 50 million people in 2020.” Being food insecure means that they faced, per VOX, “the uncertainty of having, or [being] unable to acquire, enough food due to insufficient money or other resources.”

Oberlin has a 19.41 percent poverty rate, compared to 11.6 percent nationally. Due to rising inflation and the dissipation of public benefits from COVID-19, such as EBT funds and SNAP benefits, members of the Oberlin community are struggling to make ends meet. Further, food stamp benefits will significantly decrease at the start of March.

“Food insecurity exists at the heart of environmentalism, as it is something that disproportionately impacts socio-economically disadvantaged people, often people of color,” Venugopal wrote in an email to the Review. “Within Oberlin specifically, food access is incredibly limited. The primary grocery stores available within the town are IGA and Walmart. For those who lack cars, these are inaccessible locations.”

According to Hanson, the amount of people who require food services is increasing as a result of economic inequities exacerbated by the pandemic. With this increase comes a rising need for services such as the community fridge and those OCS provides.

“There are some people who are going from almost $200 food stamps down to like 50 bucks a month,” Hanson said. “How far is $50 a month gonna really go at the grocery store right now? On top of what was already a high rate of poverty, food insecurity, economic insecurity, we’re seeing people lose a lot of lifelines that they were relying on.”

Venugopal and Spence are considering a potential location next to the back patio of the Oberlin Public Library. The fridge might take this central location to combat the aforementioned transportation challenges. They aim to not replicate or take away from any of the work that OCS does. Rather, they believe that the fridge can act as an added resource for food rescue in Oberlin, especially for those in immediate need.

“A community fridge could act as an intermediary for this issue — for both Oberlin students and community members to access in a way that is both public and private and may reduce associated discomfort with the visibility needing food aid,” Venugopal wrote.

People can donate to the fridge in different forms: unused groceries, toiletries, cleaning products, or kitchen supplies; money that volunteers can use to stock the fridge; or volunteer time. They hope to eventually partner with local restaurants and businesses to stock the fridge with food that would otherwise be thrown away.

February 24, 2023

Volume 152, Number 15 (ISSN 297–256)

Editors-in-Chief

Kushagra Kar

Emma Benardete

Managing Editor

Nikki Keating

News Editors

Alexa Stevens

Cal Ransom

Opinions Editors

Emily Vaughan

Hanna Alwine

Arts & Culture Editors

Dlisah Lapidus

Yasu Shinozaki

Sports Editors

John Elrod

Kayla Kim

Conservatory Editor

Delaney Fox

Photo Editors

Abe Frato

Erin Koo

This Week Editor

Eloise Rich

Senior Staff Writers

Ava Miller

Chris Stoneman

Celia Perks

Gracie McFalls

Maeve Woltring

Poetry Editor

Gillian Ferguson

Web Manager

Nada Aggadi

Production Manager

Isaac Imas

Production Editors

Addie Breen

E.J. LaFave

Gideon Reed

Lia Fawley

Jasper Swartz

Serena Atkinson

James Foster

Trevor Smith

Layout Editors

Erin Koo

Grace Gao

Katie Rasmussen

Molly Chapin

Illustrator

Molly Chapin

Distributors

Leah Potoff

Nondini Nagarwalla

Neva Taylor

Will Young

Saturday, Feb. 25

2:30–4 p.m.: Defend the Land at the Oberlin Public Library

Learn about Land and Water Protection as it pertains to Indigenous Culture. In honor of fallen activist Manuel ‘Tortuguita’ Teran who was killed protecting forests outside of Atlanta.

3–6 p.m.: Charleston Workshops with Adam Lee in Warner Center Oberlin Swing and Blues brings Adam Lee from Pittsburgh to Oberlin. He will host two workshops on incorporating the Charleston into the Lindy Hop. No experience necessary.

10 p.m.: Warp Duo at the Dionysus Disco

A project from Baltimore

UPCOMING EVENTS focused on electroacoustic improvisation brought to Oberlin by the Modern Music Guild.

8 p.m.–12 a.m.: The Black History Month Ball at the Hotel at Oberlin Dinner will be served and a bar is available for attendees who are 21+. Tickets required. Doors close at 9 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 26

4–7 p.m.: Study Away Fair in Moffett Auditorium

The Office of Study Away will present more than 20 study away options for students to pursue at the A-level of Mudd Center.

Monday, Feb. 27

3 p.m.: Oberlin Heritage Center Strategic Planning Public Forum at the Oberlin Public Library

The Oberlin Heritage Center will host an open-ended conversation on how it can serve the Oberlin community.

Tuesday, Feb. 28

2 p.m.: Unitarian Universalist Kendal Monthly Gathering Rev. Mary will lead conversation and check-in on love and intentionality.

Wednesday, March 1

5 p.m.: Guest Lecture: “Racialized Musical (Hi)stories” by Philip Ewell in David H. Stull Recital Hall

Professor of Music Theory Philip Ewell will present on histories and stories within music theory in the context of race.

7:30–8:30 p.m.: Beethoven’s

Complete Violin Sonatas: Peter Takács, piano in Kulas Recital Hall

Peter Takács, pianist, collaborates with faculty violinists, including Sibbi Bernhardsson, OC ’95; Francesca dePasquale; and David Bowlin, OC ’00; live and available via stream.

Thursday, March 2

5:30 p.m.: Oberlin Heritage Center Strategic Planning Public Forum at Mt. Zion Baptist Church Fellowship Center

The Oberlin Heritage Center will host an open-ended conversation on how it can serve the Oberlin community.

Published by the students of Oberlin College every Friday during the fall and spring semesters, except holidays and examination periods.

For advertising rates, please contact edsinchief@ oberlinreview.org.

Second-class postage paid at Oberlin, Ohio. Entered as second-class matter at the Oberlin, Ohio post office April 2, 1911.

Office of Publication: Burton Basement, Oberlin, Ohio 44074. Phone: (440) 775-8123

POSTMASTER SEND

CHANGES TO: Wilder Box 90, Oberlin, Ohio 44074-1081.

To submit a correction, email managingeditor@ oberlinreview.org

Shanta Devarajan Alexa Stevens News Editor