Resources for Addressing Hunger and Food Insecurity in the US and Beyond
Community Fridges
Community Fridges are public, 24/7 accessible refrigerators placed in community spaces where people can share and take food freely, often nicknamed “freedges”. They are mutual aid projects designed to reduce food waste and address food insecurity by making food donations, such as excess produce and prepared meals, available to anyone who needs them.
https://www.nourishingneighbors.com/articles/29-community-fridges-find
https://www.newventureadvisors.net/community-fridges-give-some-take-some/
Food Banks
A food bank is an organization (frequently a not-for-profit) that collects, stores, and distributes food to other agencies, such as food pantries and meal programs, which then provide food directly to individuals and families in need. These organizations act as a central hub, sourcing large quantities of food from sources like farmers, retailers, manufacturers, and food drives, and making it available to community-level partners at low cost. While they may have one or more paid staff, food banks often rely on community volunteers.
https://www.feedingamerica.org
Free Community Meals and Examples of Restaurants Offering Free Meals
Free community meals are meals provided by various organizations to serve people in need, often cooked by volunteers and served in a welcoming environment. They are found through local food banks, community centers, churches, and schools, and can be offered on a regular basis or during specific times like summer or after disasters. Many of these programs use surplus food to create meals and aim to reduce food waste while alleviating hunger and loneliness. In addition restaurants throughout the country from local “mom and pop” diners to nationwide chains have stepped up to support their hungry neighbors by offering free (or reduced price) meals to SNAP recipients at this time.
https://www.feedingamerica.org/need-help-find-food
https://parade.com/food/restaurants-offering-snap-deals
https://www.eatingwell.com/snap-benefits-free-meals-11841530
Addressing Hunger in Areas hit by war, hurricanes and other tragedies
World Central Kitchen: https://Wck.org
Find Volunteer Opportunities
- Volunteer.gov: A central place for opportunities with federal agencies like the National Park Service.
- AmeriCorps.gov: Offers resources and a search tool to find national service opportunities across the country.
- VolunteerMatch.org: A large database allowing you to search for opportunities by zip code and keywords.
- Idealist.org: Lets you search by city, focusing on a wide range of non-profit and volunteer positions.
- Catchafire: Specializes in matching volunteers with specific professional skills to organizations that need them