One of the biggest challenges facing local food service organizations in the fight against hunger is the need for cold storage and refrigeration.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as other perishable foods that are essential to a healthy diet, require refrigeration, and many smaller nonprofits and food banks simply don’t have enough of them, limiting their ability to provide fresh, healthy food to those who need it most.
Lakeshore Food Rescue recognized this gap and launched its Fresh Fridges program in 2022, an initiative to increase refrigeration capacity across Ottawa County. By installing refrigerators at partner locations, the program enables local nonprofits to maintain a steady supply of fresh, healthy food.
Lakeshore Food Rescue doesn’t just stop once the fridges are installed. The company ensures that these fridges are constantly stocked with high-quality food procured through local food rescue efforts.
“Good food belongs to people, not landfills,” says Krista Burgett, Senior Manager of Lakeshore Food Rescue. “By working with partners in our community who are already doing important work to build community and improve access to food, we have been able to develop solutions that reduce food waste and food insecurity. We are so grateful for the support of key partners like the Junior Welfare League (a donor to the project) that allows us to continue to build a stronger, healthier community.”
Seven partners throughout the district
The program took a significant step forward in July when Lakeshore Food Rescue, using funds from Ottawa County under the American Rescue Plan Act, installed two new refrigerators at the Boys and Girls Club of Holland and the Georgetown United Methodist Church in Jenison.
This brings the total number of Fresh Fridges in Ottawa County to seven, and each one is an important resource. For local nonprofits like the Boys and Girls Club of Holland, the acquisition of a Fresh Fridge is a critical benefit.
“We are eternally grateful to Community Action House for their generous donation of a refrigerator full of fresh, healthy food,” said Joshua Kelch of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holland. “This initiative provides vital food supplies to our members and the local community, combats food insecurity, and promotes a healthier, stronger environment for all.”
Courtesy of CAHThe Fresh Fridge at Escape Ministries is one of seven in Ottawa County.
The Fresh Fridges program is making an impact in other places too. Georgetown United Methodist Church in Jenison, which serves 50 to 60 families each month through its on-site food bank, is now able to offer fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods at each visit. Before the installation, the bank could only offer nonperishable foods.
The Fresh Fridges program is also supported by other local partners including Coopersville Cares, Replenish Food Pantry at Grand Valley State University, Escape Ministries and St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Last year, the program distributed over 37,451 pounds of healthy food to these partners.
“Our clients are just so happy that we can offer them the food rescue program,” says Ann Fletcher, director of St. Vincent de Paul. You can hear it in their voices and see the excitement on their faces. It really is an amazing program.”
To learn more or to get involved, visit lakeshorefoodrescue.org.
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