named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Fridge
24/7 publicly accessible refrigerator in the Bronx where individuals can take or leave surplus food, operating on a give-and-take model without questions asked.
Food Hub Distribution
Weekly food distribution events on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 2 PM, providing rescued fresh produce and prepared meals to community members.
Food Waste Education & Outreach
Community education efforts to normalize food redirection, including sharing knowledge about the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act to reduce liability concerns among potential donors.
Friendly Fridge Bucks
Pay-it-forward initiative that funds warm meals from local Bronx restaurants for neighbors in need, supporting both food access and local businesses.
activities · 1 group
What they do
-
Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 4 activities
- Collect and distribute surplus food from local partnersCollects and shares fresh, edible surplus food daily from over 25 local sources including schools, farms, farmers markets, bakeries, restaurants, and pantries, and redistributes it through the community fridge and partner organizations.
- Deliver donated food to partner organizationsOrganizes the collection, transport, and delivery of donated food to six neighborhood partner organizations as part of its food distribution efforts.
- Operate community fridge for food redistributionOperates a 24/7 community fridge located at 5983 Broadway in the Bronx, and another at 4670 Manhattan College Parkway open on specific days, redistributing over 65,000 pounds of surplus food per month from landfills to community members. The fridge is restocked and fully depleted 5 to 6 times daily and serves over 1,800 visits weekly.
- Prepare and distribute ready-to-eat mealsPrepares and distributes soup and full, warm meals to community members in need through a pay-it-forward model in collaboration with local restaurants and delis, providing nutritious, ready-to-eat meals.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$200K
Contributions & grants$198K99%
Program service revenue$1K1%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$187K
Program expenses100%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$12K
Grants paid out—
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$16K
Cash$7K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$16K
Liquid reserves0.4 mo
3 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +0.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARA ALLEN | TREASURER | 25 | $6K |
| SELMA SEQUEIRA RAVEN | PRESIDENT | 25 | $6K |
board members · 4
- BEREKAT GHEBREMEDHIN — DIRECTOR
- Lawrence Levine — DIRECTOR
- NICHOLAS RAVEN — DIRECTOR
- lEE MICHEL — DIRECTOR
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- 6 partner organizations in the neighborhood Partner — Receives delivered food donations from Friendly Fridge Foundation as part of its distribution network.
- Broadway Joe’s Pizza Partner — Partner restaurant participating in the Friendly Fridge Bucks program to provide meals to neighbors in need.
- CLUB A: BUSHWICK CITY FARMS Partner — Collaborates with CLUB A: BUSHWICK CITY FARMS to support food distribution efforts.
- Castle Chicken Partner — Partner restaurant participating in the Friendly Fridge Bucks program to provide meals to neighbors in need.
- Collective Focus Hub Partner — Collaborates with Collective Focus Hub for mutual aid and food distribution activities.
- Good Samaritan Act Government — Relies on liability protections provided by the Good Samaritan Act to enable safe food donations.
- Gourmet Market & Bagel Partner — Partner restaurant participating in the Friendly Fridge Bucks program to provide meals to neighbors in need.
- Harlem Grown Partner — Partners with Harlem Grown to support community food access initiatives.
- Jerusalem Cafe Partner — Hosts the Friendly Fridge BX at its location, providing space and electrical access after the fridge's relocation.
- Riverdale Deli & Grocery Partner — Partner restaurant participating in the Friendly Fridge Bucks program to provide meals to neighbors in need.
- The Last Stop Partner — Provided electricity to support the operation of the Friendly Fridge BX when it was first installed.
- Van Cortlandt Track Club Partner — Partner organization co-hosting the Lettuce Run 5K to raise funds for Friendly Fridge BX.
- YES Network Partner — Produced a video highlighting the work of the Friendly Fridge BX.
- bakeries Partner — Donates surplus prepared food items
- farmers markets Partner — Provides surplus food for community distribution
- farms Partner — Supplies surplus fresh produce for redistribution
- local schools Partner — Donates surplus food and participates in food redirection efforts
- pantries Partner — Shares surplus food through the community fridge network
- restaurants Partner — Contributes surplus prepared meals for redistribution
strategies · 2
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Food Rescue with Legal Risk Mitigation 30 orgsmethodology: food_rescueBy collecting surplus food from businesses and schools and redistributing it locally, we reduce food waste and increase access because leveraging liability protections (Good Samaritan Act) enables broader participation in safe food donation.shared approach: Food Rescue and Redistribution →
- Mutual Aid Network for Food Access 30 orgsmethodology: mutual_aidBy enabling community members to freely give and take food based on need, we increase food access and reduce waste because peer-to-peer redistribution fosters dignity, trust, and local resilience.shared approach: Food Rescue and Redistribution →