Centre for Gender Advocacy launches new community fridge
The program aims to provide a non-judgmental, safe space for food
The Centre for Gender Advocacy at Concordia University is now helping students with groceries through their new Warm Hearts Community Fridge.
“Usually, people would come in for gender-affirming gear and they would also ask for help with groceries,” said Mischa Shadloo, programming coordinator at the centre.
Since Jan. 16, the Warm Hearts Fridge has started offering students the chance to access free food at the centre. Shadloo and Madeleine, the centre’s outreach coordinator, are in charge of this initiative.
To fill the fridge, the two coordinators are either ordering delivery groceries or going in person to food distribution centres.
Mak Ékoué, outreach intern at the Concordia Food Coalition, said they’ve seen firsthand how it is getting harder for many students to afford groceries. The coalition, while not directly involved with the Warm Hearts Fridge, supports the initiative and works towards increasing food safety for students.
“More and more people are facing food insecurity and are looking for alternative ways to shop and feed themselves,” Ékoué said, adding that they’ve noticed an increase in student involvement in community food-related initiatives.
Madeleine also noticed the same increase in interest, saying that recent centre events involving food were some of its most popular.
“I want people to know that they have a non-judgmental, safe space where they can get food,” Madeleine said.
Shadloo described the food they provide as “normal groceries.” Community members can find items like orange juice or deli meat, but there are also ready-made dishes like burritos.
To better understand the needs of those who use the service, the coordinators said they try to be present during access hours. Since the program is still in its early days, they said they are still adjusting the stocks daily. Shadloo and Madeleine hope to have a more consistent delivery set in the next few weeks as students and community members begin using the fridge more frequently.
To keep track of the food, people who use the service are asked to leave a mark on the fridge’s door to show that an item has been taken.
Shadloo emphasized the importance of remembering that the community fridge works on the principles of sharing.
The fridge is funded by the centre’s fee-levy as well as community donations. However, according to Madeleine, it can be difficult to keep the fridge filled with a variety of foods.
“I want to give people access to real food, not just canned tuna or pasta,” Madeleine said. “I would like to be able to put more fruits and vegetables, but it’s more expensive.”
Students can access the fridge at 2110 Mackay St. during the centre’s opening hours, Tuesday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 9, published February 11, 2025.
