Kelowna Community Fridge celebrates milestone

Located in the heart of downtown Kelowna, the Community Fridge is a small refrigerator that is open to the public 24/7.

It’s a fixture that has seen a great amount of success in the two years it has existed. And to celebrate that milestone, volunteers of the program organized a barbeque, free to all.

“We're here to celebrate all of the mutual aid that we have done, and to really encourage people and let people know about what we do here,” volunteer, Ollie O., told Kelowna10.

Anyone can donate or take food as needed, no questions asked, no identification needed.

The program has become a vital resource for the community, especially as many people struggle to put food on the table.

“You know, there's folks who are like, ‘This helps me feed my kids. This helped me make rent. This helps me feed my neighbours or my family members or disabled friends,’” they explained. “It's also taught a lot of people that we don't need to wait for people on high to come down and help us. We, just as folks ourselves, can help each other.”

They said looking towards the future, they would like to open more community fridges around Kelowna.

The Kelowna Community Fridge has become a symbol of hope and generosity, providing food and support to those in need, they said.

Those interested in donating to the group can do so online. Guidelines for food donations can be found here.