RICHMOND, Va. — A few days before Thanksgiving, Taylor Scott stood in front of the community fridge at the Oakwood Arts Center and smiled at what she saw.
The fridge is one of 14 across Metro Richmond operated by Scott’s nonprofit, RVA Community Fridges. The concept is simple: community members drop off meals and food, and those in need take what they require.
Scott said the idea came from her hometown of New Orleans, where similar fridges are common. When she moved to Richmond four years ago, she realized there was a gap to fill after she wanted to donate surplus tomatoes she had grown.
“I was saying, 'Oh, let me put this one up,'” Scott said. “You know, I never would have imagined that we have the amount of community support that we do to this day. Or just the need.”
Since then, the organization has grown significantly. Scott estimates that the fridges distribute thousands of pounds of food weekly, serving more than 500 people with the help of hundreds of volunteers.
“It’s actually just so wonderful, because I would have never imagined that people really wanted to be a part of something like this,” Scott said.
Volunteers like Valerie Kennedy and Jonathan Kibiloski have been involved almost as long as the nonprofit has existed. The two were stocking the Oakwood fridge with Thanksgiving meals when Scott visited this week.
“We like cooking, and the need is great,” said Kennedy. “It’s absurd to see how much it’s needed.”
Kibiloski echoed the sentiment. “It’s crazy how great the need is for food to go out to folks, and so we would definitely encourage getting involved, to give up time or donation-wise,” he said.
While RVA Community Fridges has held food drives in past years with a focus on Thanksgiving Day, this year, they are calling on the community to help fill the fridges the day after the holiday.
“This will be our very first Thanksgiving meal food drive. Really exciting,” Scott said.
She encourages people to make extra servings of their Thanksgiving meals — anything from desserts to main courses — and drop them off.
“They can be desserts, sides, main courses, literally anything,” Scott said. “They can be vegan, non-vegan, whatever you plan to make for Thanksgiving or if you weren’t planning to make it, and now you’re like, ‘Ooh, maybe I’ll try to make that.’ You can now test that meal out.”
The nonprofit has an online sign-up sheet where people can register what they plan to make and which fridge they’ll use for donations. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 500 meals had been registered.
For those unable to participate in this drive, Scott hopes they will consider helping in the future, noting how impactful the effort has been.
“Just hearing that from people, that they’re actually making the immense impact on people’s lives, is amazing, and that’s literally why I keep putting the fridges up,” Scott said.
The organization is now a registered 501(c)(3), and Scott said donations are welcome on Giving Tuesday or at any time.
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