KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After it stopped working due to recent hot weather, a community fridge program designed to make sure people could have access to fresh and nutritious meals with no questions asked is continuing to feed the community.
Knox Pride said its community fridge would be closed "for the foreseeable future" on July 8, after it stopped working. The nonprofit said the Parks and Recreation Department is working to fix it, and in the meantime, it is using the Knox Pride Community Center's indoor fridge as a backup.
That backup fridge is stocked with sandwiches, fruit and water. Knox Pride also said volunteers with the Knoxville Rainbow Library are still offering dinners each night at 6 p.m. near Sam Duff Memorial Park's restrooms. Volunteers will also serve lunch on Sunday and Monday at 12 p.m.
Knox Pride said the community fridge stopped working due to the heat, and said it needs to be insulated. Vents also need to be installed before it can be stocked with food once again. Knox Pride will provide updates on social media as it works to get the fridge repaired.
People can still get food from the nonprofit's indoor food pantry. The community fridge, meals from the Knoxville Rainbow Library and food from Knox Pride's indoor pantry are available to everyone, regardless of how they identify.
The fridge was installed near Knox Pride and Sam Duff Memorial Park in May 2023 and was meant to increase people's access to fresh food, making food available 24 hours a day. The Knox County Health Department said it was funded through a contract with a state grant.
