Credit: Ambler Community Fridge.
Dozens of community members and elected officials gathered Saturdary at a reopening of the Ambler Community Fridge, which will provide free food to community members in need. Elected leaders and community members in attendance spoke of the unique and important role that community fridges provide in addressing food insecurity, which is a growing concern as food banks face cuts and residents face increasing economic uncertainty.
The Fridge, located at Ambler Mennonite Church was in operation at Weavers Way Co-op for two and a half years, serving countless residents, requiring daily restocking to keep up with demand. Community members donated to the fridge, the Co-op stocked the Fridge and Pantry with products purchased at-cost and nearing expiration, while residents who grew vegetables at the Ambler Community Garden provided vegetables during the growing season.
The Fridge was closed in October 2023 due to updated Montgomery County health regulations that prohibited its operation on the grounds of a grocery store. Since then, community members continued to seek a new home for the Fridge.
Once the church was identified as a new home, a new fridge was purchased by the Co-op and sent to the non-profit, Fresh Artists, to have it wrapped with artwork of colorful fruits and vegetables made by children. The fridge is in a shelter with an area for dry goods and will remain open every day to the public in the parking lot of the church.
“Community fridges are a great way to combat food insecurity and tackle food waste at the same time. A community fridge works to connect and engage people by providing access to fresh healthy food with no stigma. Take what you need, leave what you can — a simple motto that helps people care for others in need through small food donations,” said Weavers Way’s Outreach Manager Nima Koliwad.
State Sen. Maria Collett, state Rep. Melissa Cerrato, Ambler Borough Councilwoman Jennifer Henderson, and the office of Congresswoman Madeleine Dean joined the community gathering, each of them briefly addressing the audience, noting that Montgomery County has too many food insecure community members.
Cerrato praised the dedication of community members to reestablish the fridge, stating “This fridge represents an unwavering commitment to ensuring that no one in Ambler goes hungry.”
“Every one of our neighbors deserves access to healthy, affordable meals, but far too many are facing the devastating reality of food insecurity. While the federal government continues to cut programs that support working families, mutual aid initiatives like the Community Fridge in Ambler help fill critical gaps. I’m grateful to local leaders at Weavers Way and the Ambler Mennonite Church who made the Community Fridge a reality, and I will continue to fight on the state level to make sure Pennsylvanians can access the resources they need to thrive,” Collett said.
“The Ambler Community Fridge is a testament to community — to neighbors coming together to support one another in difficult times. Montgomery County faces a growing problem with hunger, from seniors to children to working families and individuals. I’m grateful to Weavers Way Co-op, Ambler Mennonite Church, and all those who made this reopening possible. Your compassion and dedication continue to help support our neighbors,” said Dean, through a representative at the ceremony.
Michelle Curtis, co-pastor of Ambler Mennonite Church, said, “Jesus taught that the most important commandments are: Love God and love your neighbors. Our little church’s favorite way to practice this is by loving our neighbors through food. As a pastor, it’s been a great joy to watch the church and wider community come together to share food with neighbors who need it. From connections with the co-op and local food pantry who will help stock the fridge to individual volunteers who will paint the shelter and “rescue” perfectly good food that would otherwise go to waste, it’s a community effort all around.”
The Fridge was “wrapped” by Fresh Artists Founders Roger and Barbara Allen with graphics installer and Fresh Artists Board member, Ken Burns, president, Capital INK. Fresh Artists is an award-winning innovative nonprofit with the mission of saving art education in severely underfunded public schools by installing children’s art in highly visible and unexpected places. Their newest project is vinyl-wrapping Community Refrigerators with children’s art depicting healthy food choices, for partner nonprofits managing a Community Refrigerator Program, like this one.
Weavers Way is a consumer food co-op with locations in Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill, Ambler, and its newest location at 328 West Chelten Avenue in Germantown. They operate two urban farms in Philadelphia, a CSA, and a community newspaper. Weavers Way stores are open to members and non-members alike and provide a friendly shopping environment and competitively reasonably priced, high-quality, healthy food. A leader of the local food system, Weavers Way boasts products from more than 300 local food growers and producers, subscribes to the International Co-op Principles and operates as a triple-bottom-line business.
For more information, visit weaversway.coop.
