How Our Community Food Hub Works
Weekly Food Hub Distribution:
Tuesday, 2 - 7pm:
Rescued produce and prepared meals redirected from around the community
Thurs, 2 - 7pm:
Rescued bread and prepared meals
Fri, 2 - 7pm:
prepared meals redirected from around the community
The Friendly Fridge BX becomes a bustling center for large-scale food rescue and redistribution. Thousands of pounds of fresh produce, prepared foods, bread, and other rescued food are transported to our site from food rescue organizations, restaurants, bakeries, schools, markets, and other partners. Our volunteers unload, organize, and distribute the food, and community members can come to the hub to choose what they and their families can use. These larger distributions allow us to redirect significant amounts of good food in a matter of hours—getting it into people’s kitchens instead of sending it to landfills.
Community Fridge:
Mon, Wed, Sat & Sun, 11 - 7pm:
On regular Community Fridge days, the model is much simpler and more organic. The refrigerator is a shared neighborhood resource: anyone can stop by to take what they need, and anyone can contribute a few items they have to share. A neighbor might bring extra vegetables from their garden, a family might share pantry items before moving, or a local business might drop off a small amount of surplus food at the end of the day.
Types of Donations Accepted:
Fresh produce (fruits & vegetables)
Prepared foods packaged in clear wrap and labeled whenever possible
Dairy products -milk, cheese, yogurts, etc.
Shelf-stable pantry items -spices, beans, rice, pastas, etc.
“I don’t have teeth so I love the soup you have every week.”
— an elderly gentleman living in a single room occupancy
Share Your Extras
Each year, New York City sends over 1 million tons of food waste to landfills. Much of it is still perfectly good to eat. Instead of tossing out healthy, unused food, bring it to the Friendly Fridge BX Food Hub.
A few extra minutes of your time can change someone’s day. You’ll help reduce hunger, cut down on harmful greenhouse gases, and show love for both your community and the planet we share.
Spread The Word
Help spread awareness that an alarming 68% of food that is thrown away in NYC is still edible!
And that it’s completely legal to donate edible food to the Friendly Fridge BX, a registered nonprofit organization.
The more we talk about doing things differently—and then actually put those ideas into action—the better our climate future will be, and the more likely it is that everyone will have something to eat.
And Pick Up Some Extras!
Food waste is a major driver of climate change—if it were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.
At The Friendly Fridge BX Food Hub, we’re working to shift the narrative. This isn’t just about “helping those in need”—it’s about all of us stepping up and taking collective responsibility for the food we waste.
Here, we say that there are folks who need food and there is food that need folks!