1. What is a Community Fridge?
The concept of the community fridge has become popular in recent years because of the tragedy of excess food and hungry people in the same vicinity. Food is found in plenty in homes, restaurants and malls which is wasted when not consumed. The community fridge tries to store this food for homeless on the streets.
2. Who runs the project at Holy Cross High School?
A children’s initiative, called- ‘We The Children’ also known as children’s parliament where children take up issues close to their heart, saw the children taking the initiative with the help of parents to tackle the problem of hunger in our area. The Rotary Club was kind enough to sponsor the fridge and a team of parents comprising of nurses, food specialists and lawyers have come together to drive this project.
3. Who can donate food?
The fridge is meant for sharing food and is open to any adult who wishes to place food during the time mentioned. The food donation will be monitored by the volunteers who are at the counter. Donors are requested to please write the date and time on the packet using a sticker or simple ‘post-it’ labels.
Children will not be permitted to access the fridge to donate or collect food without the parents’ permission.
4. What type of food can be placed in the fridge?
Only vegetarian food which is cooked and fresh fruits and vegetables can be kept in the fridge. Raw and uncooked food items like oil, sugar, grains and pulses CANNOT be kept. However packed food items like sealed packets of bread, milk and biscuits can be placed in the fridge. The fridge is not meant for ‘left over’ food that is unfit for consumption, rather for good food that the donor himself would eat or food that is cooked in excess at our homes, can also be placed here to be shared with others.
5. What are the timings for food donation?
Food can be placed in silver foil paper or containers. And it can be kept in the Fridge anytime between 7 am to 11am and 5 pm to 8pm.
The food will be distributed to persons in need at public places in and around the vicinity by the volunteers depending on the food available in the fridge. No distribution of food will be done in the school premises.
6. What about the quality of the food?
The school has only made available the community fridge on its premises and has no control of the type of food and its quality that is donated by individual donors, hotels, restaurants or malls. The food is only for those in dire need, the homeless and the destitute. No nuisance will be tolerated on the school campus. Those failing to observe discipline will be dealt with as per the law.
7. Why can’t individuals be permitted to take food at will?
The fridge, since it is placed on school premises, restricts the entry of outsiders for the sake of safety of the children. The food that is donated will be taken by the volunteers to be distributed to the homeless and the destitute living on the streets.
8. What is the objective of the project?
The project aims at creating awareness among children of the problem of food wastage. The parents can lead by example by sharing food rather than wasting it. The project does not encourage beggary in any form but tries to help the homeless and those on the streets who have no access to food.