Atlanta’s Last Free Fridge Closes – WABE

Organisers of the Free Fridge at Medlock Park announced on Tuesday evening that the fridge would close from August 31.

This is the last remaining Free Fridge in Atlanta. The Free Fridge project began in 2020 and once had six locations, including in East Atlanta and Clarkston. Those locations closed in 2022. The idea behind the fridge was to make food available 24 hours a day to people who needed it without having to deal with red tape or bureaucracy. The Medlock Park fridge, located at North Decatur Presbyterian, survived until 2024 with the help and support of volunteers.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce that ATLFreeFridge will be closing its doors on Saturday, August 31, 2024,” Free Fridge organizers announced in an Instagram post. “We are deeply grateful to the incredible people and businesses who have supported us. Your contributions have made a significant impact in combating food insecurity and spreading kindness.”

“We recognize that this closure will leave a void in services, especially for our neighbors experiencing homelessness, but also for home-based workers who bring food to their clients, parents of large families, the underemployed, laborers, seniors, and local students,” the message continued. “We try not to view the closure as a failure, but rather focus on the positive changes we have made together over the years. Thank you for being a vital part of this mission.”

But the refrigerator also attracted criticism and controversy. It attracted many homeless people who needed more services than it could provide.

Leaders of the North Decatur Presbyterian Church met with neighbors on Aug. 14 to discuss safety concerns and complaints about trash and food debris found in neighborhoods. A letter from the Rev. David Lewicki, the church’s pastor, seen by Decaturish, indicates that the church session — the elders who govern the church — “tentatively” approved continued operations through September. The tentative approval required certain conditions to be met, such as enhanced security — which the church offered to help with — and that volunteers take responsibility for cleaning up trash around the refrigerator.

“The Church Session believes that the Fridge is an effective model of mutual aid to address the problem of food insecurity,” the letter states. “However, the Session understands that unless safety and sanitation issues are satisfactorily addressed and trust begins to be restored, the Fridge will need to be relocated or closed.”

The pastor’s letter to the community ends with an apology.

“On a more personal note, the greatest ethical commandment of our religious tradition is to love one’s neighbor,” he wrote. “These are beautiful words to live by, but in practice they are rarely easy. On behalf of the Church, we apologize for the ways in which we have failed to live up to the standards of our tradition. Thank you for your collaboration and participation in this work.”

The news of the Free Fridge’s closure was met with sadness and a strong desire to help from people who commented on the Instagram post.

Rev. Lewicki’s letter said elected officials needed to provide more help to meet the needs of people who regularly use the refrigerator.

“The Church has reached out to Commissioners Michelle Long Spears and Ted Terry to request DeKalb County’s assistance in addressing the issue of homeless neighbors,” he wrote. “We strongly encourage neighbors to share their concerns and hopes with county officials.”

Writer Logan C. Ritchie contributed to this article.

This story was provided by content partner WABE Decaturish.