Introducing…
SFU Community Free Fridge!
A safe, low-barrier and nonjudgmental way for people at SFU to access food.
What is it?
The SFU Community Free Fridge builds and enhances food security for the SFU community.
Based on similar programs in Canada and around the world, the Fridge is a safe, low-barrier and non-judgmental way for staff, students and faculty to support each other, to reduce waste, and to ensure everyone in our university community can feed themselves and their families.
How does it work?
If you need FOOD – come TAKE SOME.
If you have extra food to GIVE, please leave it in the fridge for someone else – THANKS!
The fridge works on the principle of “take something, leave something”. You may have seen similar ideas like community free libraries or “take a penny, leave a penny” jars on store countertops – this is the same idea.
Who’s it for?
The fridge will be open for anyone who wants to take food from it or leave food in it. Donors can be individuals who bought too much, food services on campus who have extra that will be thrown away, or local grocers that have stock that cannot be sold for cosmetic reasons. By giving and taking, we are all playing a part in supporting each other and reducing food waste!
Where is the fridge?
There are currently two SFU Community Free Fridges on the Burnaby Campus. The first one is located on the first floor of the Student Union Building (SUB). The second one can be found on the seventh floor of the Maggie Benson Building (MBC), on the same floor as SFU Health and Counselling – opposite the SFU Parking Office.
When can we use it?
The Fridge is open and available to take food from, or leave food in, during regular operating hours of the Student Union Building (SUB) and the Maggie Benson Centre (MBC).
Who is supporting this program? (And who’s keeping the fridge clean?)
There are several Community Fridge programs throughout Burnaby and Metro Vancouver, and each has a sponsor who provides the fridge with a location and available electricity and ensures that it is kept clean. The sponsors of SFU’s Community Free Fridge include: SFU’s Office of Community Engagement, Burnaby Primary Care Network, Burnaby Neighbourhood House, SFU Ancillary Services, Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS), Food Mesh, and Embark Sustainability.
The fridge is cleaned and maintained daily by volunteers from SFU’s Office of Community Engagement. If the fridge appears to require maintenance, please contact us at food-community@sfu.ca.
Please practice responsible care and consideration for everyone’s health and wellbeing when you use the fridge.
What kinds of food can be left in the fridge?
Yes, please kindly leave:
- Fresh produce
- Dairy
- Bread
- Grab-and-Go foods
- Pantry items (unopened canned, high-protein items such as fish, beans, lentils, and nut-butters)
- Commercially-prepared meals (must be made in a commercial kitchen and labelled). If you feel inclined to buy an extra boxed and labelled lunch and pay it forward, the fridge will happily receive!
NO, we DO NOT accept:
- Expired food
- Rotting food
- Home-cooked food
- Opened packages of food
- Leftovers
- Clothing or housewares
Can we make meals for the fridge?
At this point we only accept food prepared in a licensed commercial kitchen by cooks with food handling certification. If your restaurant is preparing food, it should be labelled with all ingredients, the date it was prepared, and the name and contact information of your establishment. Items should be individually packaged and packaged well.
What do we do if we think someone is taking “too much food” or they don’t look like they need it?
The fridge operates according to a “take something, leave something” philosophy, providing access to healthy food (meals, produce, protein), no questions asked. We will not police who is taking the food or how much they are taking.
The fridge is an opportunity to practice compassion, inclusion and non-judgement. If you find yourself concerned about who you see using the fridge, take some time to consider all the possibilities you may not be aware of. Some people may have large families, or may be helping to distribute to neighbours in need. Others may be newly facing food insecurity. Everybody has a unique story, only a little of which is visible to folks they don’t know. And this fridge is for everybody.
How can I get involved?
There are two ways to get involved! You can add items to the fridge or you can volunteer with us to maintain and stock our fridges! For volunteer opportunities, keep an eye out for posting on myinvolvement or email us at: sfucommunityfridge@sfss.ca