Sustainable Connections’ ‘Freedge’ offers anyone free perishable foods in Bellingham
The “Freedge” is open, providing free, perishable food items to anyone at 2316 Kulshan St.
The Freedge is managed by Sustainable Connections, a local non-profit that has partnered with the RE Store. The Freedge opened Oct. 11, behind the RE Store, and is the newest addition to the Sustainable Connections’ Food Recovery Program, which has existed since 2017.
The Freedge is special because it is the first public access point in the Food Recovery Program that provides perishable goods according to Brandi Hutton, Toward Zero Waster coordinator at Sustainable Connections.
Until the Freedge, Sustainable Connections has worked with “closed recipient agencies,” according to Hutton. These include permanent housing facilities or missions that serve specific people. The Freedge has provided the organization with a way to provide perishable food items to anyone.
“Everyone is welcome whether you are struggling or not. Eating recovered food is good for the environment, it is a climate change action,” Hutton said.
Hutton said the Freedge has been very popular so far, and the largest issue facing the project is keeping it stocked. So, Sustainable Connections is always looking for new donors, but the food just can’t come from anywhere. Donors have to be commercial organizations, usually restaurants that have leftover food and don’t want to see it go to waste. Perishable or prepared food donations need to be cleared by the Health Department to lower the risk of someone getting sick from eating food that was unsafely prepared.
“We can’t keep food in here right now,” Hutton said. “We stuff it full, and within an hour or two it’s gone.”
People can donate dry and canned food to the free pantry, next to the Freedge.
The Freedge is open the same hours as the RE Store, which means it is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Donors who want to give food after hours will be given the code to the combination lock if they reach out to Hutton at 360-647-7093, ext. 119.
Sustainable Connections did not invent the idea of Freedge, but, as far Hutton knows, it is the first to bring it to Whatcom County. She said if anyone else is looking to open their own Freedge, they should contact her because she would be happy to help them set it up.
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