How Hope Community Fridge Feeds the Community with Chaney Lanham
Episode Transcript:
Hope Community Fridge
Mari: , [00:00:00] our first guest,
Rosie: Yeah.
Mari: we need a a like applause track.
Rosie: Woo! I'll just do that.
Mari: Okay,
Welcome to the moms for social justice podcast, where we talk about how you can make your community a more awesome place. In this episode, Mari and I talked to Chaney Lanham, founder of Hope Community Fridge, about why she started this project and how it helps tackle the issue of food insecurity in our area.
I found this chat with Chaney really inspiring and informative. She's a mom that just saw an opportunity to help others and she made it happen. Her heart is so generous and caring and kind and I want there to be more Chaneys in the world. And maybe that could be you, or already is you. Even with an issue like food insecurity, which feels insurmountable and too big for one person to tackle, I hope that you can feel empowered to do something and know that your contribution is so meaningful, especially to those [00:01:00] that directly benefit.
I hope you enjoy this episode and our chat with Chaney.
Mari: . Hello.
Welcome to the Moms for Social Justice Podcast. This will be episode
Rosie: Five.
Mari: I think that's crazy.
Rosie: Yeah.
Mari: Um, and exciting. And it's our first episode with a real live human guest
Rosie: Not
Mari: as opposed to an AI
Rosie: Not, yeah, not AI.
Mari: Cheney is real. Um, and we're so excited to have you, Cheney.
Chaney: Thank you.
Mari: Uh, yes. So, uh, a little bit about Moms for Social Justice. In case you aren't aware of who we are, we're, um, a progressive, grassroots organization, and we're located here in beautiful Chattanooga, Tennessee. [00:02:00] I can say it is, I think it's peak leaf time.
Rosie: Peak, Peak, leaf. Yeah,
Mari: Peak leaf
Rosie: get blown away.
Mari: and they're gonna turn brown 'cause we've had no rain, uh,
Anyway, so we're here in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and um, we work to help empower parents to fight for social change in their own backyard and, um. Our guest today is doing just that, which is very exciting. So, uh, before we get into that, we like to start with a little, like a what's on your heart segment. So, um, Rosie, do you wanna start us off?
Rosie: I am presenting at career day at my kid's school today. So I'm going to present what it means to be a graphic designer or a designer in general. And I think it's always really interesting. Like, how do you break down your job to like an understandable way for.
third graders to, to get, because you don't need to give them all the nitty gritty details. You just want them to [00:03:00] be interested in your field in general and kind of get an idea of what it is that somebody with that title, like what they do. So I had fun this morning, like, building a presentation on, you know, what a fashion designer does and what an industrial designer does and a UX designer.
And how we all solve problems in the different ways that we're thinking about, you know, shape and color and line and form and materials and things like that, too, in order to solve our problems. And anyway, I hope it goes well. The thing, the awesome thing about, awesome and brutal thing about kids is that they will be immediately honest with you
Chaney: Oh yeah.
Rosie: they think you're dumb. And that you're not doing a good job. but know, a designer, I'm grateful always for that immediate feedback. And I can take that and process that and just
Mari: Mm-Hmm?
Rosie: Have some revisions and do better next time.
Mari: Yeah. that sounds so exciting.
[00:04:00] They're gonna love it. They're all gonna wanna be designers. It's gonna be great. No more marine biologists. No VAT veterinarians. designers.
Rosie: Just as I... Actually that
would be cool.
Mari: Who would
Rosie: cool. And
Mari: love it,
Rosie: we'll better understand the job market and prospects like that. Which is meh.
Mari: Yeah,
Rosie: fine.
Mari: Oh, I love it. Um, all right, Cheney, what, uh, what is on your heart today?
Chaney: Um, we're just getting ready for the trick or treats that we're gonna be doing this weekend.
Have one in Eastridge we're gonna do tomorrow, and then Sunday we'll be at the Sea Theater with y'all. .
Rosie: Do you do Halloween Halloween trick or treating?
Chaney: no one comes by our house, so
here, but I'm thinking about, I heard, uh, VAR down in Brainerd. They have a good neighborhood, so I might
Rosie: Yes. Actually... One of my [00:05:00] best friends, um, she has since moved, but she had a house in Belvoir. So group of friends, we would just converge on her house and we would make kind of like a haunted. yard.
Chaney: I
Rosie: So my husband, yeah, my husband would be the grave digger and he would just like scrape his on the sidewalk and like kids were like just running through and screaming, not any candy as the parents cackling by the street.
They're like, this is awesome. We just traumatized your child. I
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: okay. Anyway, it was so much fun. We did it for few years. It was great.
Mari: Oh yeah. We love spooky season.
Rosie: You, yes, you do love speaking season.
Mari: do. I'm a fan. Let's see what's on my heart is a little heavier. As a family, we had to put down our kitty cat this past week, which was tough. He, uh, he had lymphoma and, you know, it was time. I, it's a hard decision to make. But, uh, the reason it's on my heart now is I'm just so proud of my [00:06:00] kiddos because is the first time we've ever had to.
Put a pet down while they've been old enough to understand what's going on. And so it was nice for me 'cause I wasn't alone. And my daughter actually wanted to be there with us, you know, when, when we put the kitty down the vet said that was like really important and, you know, gives children closure.
And I I kept going back and forth and then I ultimately left it up to her. So she's 11. And then, uh, my seven year old son, He knew exactly what, what parts he wanted to be involved in and what parts he didn't, uh, which I thought was pretty cool. I think I would've been really unsure at that age, and he was like, I wanna talk to the vet.
I wanna ask some questions, then I wanna leave, and then I wanna come back when it's done and say goodbye. And I was like, oh, wow. Okay.
Rosie: wise. Both of
Mari: I thought
Rosie: are so, they're so like in tune with themselves.
Mari: Oh, well I hope so. But, um, anyway, so, you know, of course it was sad [00:07:00] and hard, but, uh, I was very, first of all, the organization, lap of Love was amazing. It came to our house and the vet was so cool and talked us through all the real scientific medical stuff, but then also made it like very like, oh, and now he's crossed the rainbow bridge kind of stuff.
So really, really a great experience. And then, it was just, it was beautiful and, and not what I expected in a positive way. So yeah, kind of just, I think remembering that our kids can handle more sometimes than we, we think that they can, and to include them more. Um, I think, you know, a lot of us were raised by people who thought that maybe we needed to be shielded from a lot.
Um, and I think we're learning now, you know, that kids can . I don't know. They're, they're just, they're so amazing and they can handle so much more than a lot of people give them credit for. And it's, you know, kind of an [00:08:00] interesting, segue into book banning and all of that, like this idea of banning ideas and thoughts and not allowing kids to have nuanced conversations about heavy topics like.
my daughter could handle, you know, watching her cat die while she was holding it and, and like, approached it with such grace and, I, it was, it was, it was neat.
Rosie: I'm really sorry about your cat, but yeah, I
Mari: Thank you.
Rosie: that's so cool that you were able to include both of your kids in the way that they wanted, that they chose to be included in that process.
Mari: Yeah.
Rosie: yeah, like you said, to give them closure. Um, cause when we, we've had to put a few dogs down since our, since we've had kids, but they were quite young still at that point.
So it was sort of like, we'll shuttle them off to somebody else's
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: Do that process, but for one of our dogs, we also did, um, at home euthanasia just because she hated the vet so much and
peaceful [00:09:00] process. And then when we picked up her ashes, they even had almost like a little, like, I don't know, altar or chapel.
Mari: Oh,
Rosie: add a Lego block to like the rainbow bridge and write your pet's on and like, add it to the.
Mari: that's so sweet. Oh.
Rosie: will say, uh, vets that really, that specialize in that kind of end of life, uh, care are really special human beings and I, I struggled for a long time, I think, to see putting your pet to sleep as like, as something positive, but it truly is, you know, you're
their suffering and because there's, you know, you can't put a pet in a wheelchair or something like that.
we don't have, you around the clock has hospice care for animals. And so we do the best that we, we can for them. And sometimes that is the best that we can do for
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: Um, and just reflecting too, and you know, the, the whole, it's not just the end of life, but it's the whole life
we've given them.
Um, you [00:10:00] gave your kitty a great life.
Mari: He is a stinker sometimes, but . He came and found us and was like, you're now my family. Hope that's cool. I'm moving in. Mm-Hmm. . And I was like, all right. The cat distribution system worked and . Looking forward to see what it brings us next. 'cause I'm sure we'll get another one, um, at some point.
So now, um, we wanna talk about something very exciting and I think kind of timely, uh, the . The community fridge. And that is why Cheney is here with us today, because, you know, coming up on Thanksgiving and the holidays, I feel like that's when a lot of people think about, oh, I should donate food to folks that, , are less fortunate.
Or, you know, in the food drives, churches are always, you know, the, yeah. So.
Rosie: at soup kitchens, stuff like that. Yes.
Mari: And so, you know, we thought it would be really appropriate to talk to Cheney [00:11:00] today just to kind of hear like her experience of starting an organization like the community fridge. I think there are a lot of misconceptions. Um, I love,
Rosie: more people than we realize.
Chaney: Almost
Mari: Yes, definitely does. And I love, I'm, I feel cool. I have a visual aid today. I'm the cool brochure.
Rosie: you're listening, Mari is holding up this
Mari: Yes.
Rosie: brochure that Chaney actually put together. It's
Mari: Designed. It's just so cool.
Rosie: got like a ransom note style,
Chaney: It does.
Mari: It does. I love it.
Rosie: I well because this is a, yeah, community organization that is very grassroots and so, yeah, you're pulling different The designer is working right now. You're pulling different pieces from other, just like how you different pieces from magazine. Anyway, that's,
Mari: Yes,
Rosie: it.
Chaney: exactly it because, um, like with the fridge, it's a zero waste initiative.
Mari: So [00:12:00] Cheney, um, I, that's a. Perfect little segue into, you know, zero waste and, and talking about the awesome organization that is the Community fridge. So if you don't mind introducing yourself and, you know, give the little elevator pitch, uh, of , it doesn't have to be perfect of what the Community Fridge is.
I'm sure you're good at talking about that because you talk about it all the time. to everyone,
Chaney: all I ever think about too. I'm Cheney. I started Hope Community Fridge in 2001. at the time my son was a boy scout at Wesley Memorial Church. And so, you know, with their help, we got our first community fridge running. And so its is to reduce, uh, food waste and food insecurity in our neighborhoods. So like if you have a can of corn that you're not ever going to eat, that's just collecting, dusting and pantry. Just drop it off at the fridge. And, [00:13:00] I mean, stuff goes in and out of the community fridge so quickly, like sitting there for like more than three days.
Rosie: So wait, did this start as like a scout project, like one of a community scout, or it was just a need that you all saw?
Chaney: for me, there's a lot to go into the fridge. I was angry when started it because, um, my grandmother, my tutu mama, she is from Hawaii up in Oahu. 2021, the Red Hill military base, was leaking jet fuel and just this month they got 'em to shut it down and they're gonna start cleaning, cleaning it up. So I couldn't directly, um, help anyone way over there. So I was like, what can I do here to like, Channel my anger into, and that was, you know, helping taking care of my own community
Mari: That's, yeah, that's really, [00:14:00] that sounds very similar to the catalyst for Moms for social Justice. And you know, it, we talk about it all the time. Everything is so heavy right now. Um, and it has been for years a while. Um, but we have found that the best way, like, um, honestly, it's almost selfish. We've found that the best way to like not feel overwhelmed and not feel
Despair is to find ways to help the community that we live in. And it's also like, as I said, a little selfish 'cause it's so nice to be able to really see the change. because yes. Doing things on a, a national or global scale is of course incredibly important. But a lot of times, like if you donate to a, you know, a fund that's helping folks maybe, you know, in Israel or something like that, you, you're not necessarily gonna see that.
Whereas,
Rosie: don't see that impact, yeah.[00:15:00]
Mari: right, whereas Cheney, you probably get to see people actually come . Get food from the fridge. You see the whole process. Maybe someone brings the thing and donates it and then off it goes and it's used and, and, you know, gives someone sustenance and makes them feel cared for. So, yeah, that's, that's really, that's really important and that's kind of why we started this podcast, was to encourage people all over to
Rosie puts it, which I love, make their community a more awesome place. 'cause I think, I think we get very tunnel vision in our own lives and things. And so yeah, if we're gonna live in that society, we need to take time to care about each other.
Rosie: 100%. And I'm, I'm curious, um, was your church at the time doing some kind of like food outreach program and you were like expanding on it or was this like something that totally, like where did you get the idea to even do this?
Chaney: Oh, [00:16:00] definitely there's a community fridge, the Chattanooga Community Fridge on Union.
Rosie: Mm hmm.
Chaney: When we were down there, we would drive past to see if they had anything, but um, for us it was like a 20, 30 minute drive. My family sometimes deals with food insecurity. but Wesley Memorial, they used to, um, know, help people with vouchers for the food bank and stuff.
So they were
Rosie: Mm hmm.
Chaney: to having a community fridge too.
Rosie: It's one thing to say like, Hey, wouldn't this be great if we had a fridge out here? And it's thing to actually do it.
was that process like? Did you have to raise funding? Were you, like, how did you source a fridge? Obviously, it sounded like the very on board.
Did they help with some of putting that together?
Chaney: they helped, um, you know, they
they pay for electricity. Um, they helped like assemble wood and stuff. The Boy Scout troop, uh, 1 37,[00:17:00] talked to Home Depot. They got all the lumber for us I just found the fridge on marketplace. Someone was giving it away for free. So
Mari: Cool. Zero waste
Yeah.
Rosie: and I think that goes to show, can be the actual doing, doing of an idea can be really intimidating. But you, you shared your idea very quickly with the people around you and they were like on board,
and. And I think that's, that's an important lesson or something that people can take away is if you have a great idea, share it with people that you know and trust
bet they'll help find a way to make that happen. how long has that, has that,
Chaney: I think in June, 2022 is when we actually got it built and it was up and running.
Rosie: , and you've expanded beyond that. Just that one, right?
Chaney: Mm-Hmm. . Yeah. Now location on Brainerd,[00:18:00]
Rosie: Mm hmm. Mm
Chaney: Episcopal Church.
Mari: Can you kind of describe like what is the setup? Because I feel like you hear Community Fridge and I don't know that everyone realizes . It's an actual refrigerator
Chaney: Mm-Hmm.
Mari: You know, I feel like, I don't know. In my mind, when I first heard about it, I thought, is this something like a food bank where you go in and you talk to a person and you, you get maybe what you need or you have to, to show that you need something Or I, you know, I wasn't really sure.
So, uh, actually seeing . The setup that it's an actual refrigerator with, you know, freezer in the top, fridge in the bottom. And then, um, there's also some shelving, right? For like pantry type items. Yeah. So kind of, um, yeah. Describe that a little bit.
Chaney: Yeah. Well, so anybody can come to the community fridge. You know, we don't ask, you know, what your living wage, how many dependents you have, like. If you need food, come and take
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Chaney: That, that's it. You just have to get there. so we have [00:19:00] like pantry space built and which we're gonna like insulate this year. So hopefully, um, things
Rosie: Oh
Chaney: Last year, of and like, not helpful to
Mari: Um, that's true. We did have some extra cold temperatures last year though too, so,
Rosie: we did.
Mari: Oh, that's smart.
Chaney: we insulated the so hopefully that'll be okay you just walk up and take whatever you need. Seriously.
Rosie: Which is so awesome think one of the. One of the hard things about food insecurity is asking for help.
Chaney: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: There's a lot of shame tied, to that. Um, people feel like they failed, which is absolutely not the case. But it can be really intimidating and really hard to go to a food bank, like at a church, you have to enter a space or... another program where you have to [00:20:00] kind of show that you need assistance. and this is something that, like you said, that anybody can walk up to and grab whatever they need. How much or, however much or however little.
without any questions, without, um, and,
and
Mari: judgment, shame.
Rosie: judgment, without shame, yeah.
Um,
Mari: isn't it, it's like the motto, the solidarity, not charity. I love that. I think that's, that's really a beautiful sentiment and I think if we could shift the collective conscious in that direction, I think it would change the way that . So many people look at helping others.
cause right now it feels very like transactional or like, judgmental. You see someone that's asking for money and you know, I feel like people instantly have a, a reaction And, yeah. So this is, I think, a beautiful way to, to help each other.
Rosie: Yeah, um, and we've worked with the Chattanooga Free Store [00:21:00] before, and that feels very, you know, very similar, a mutual aid store where I can go in and like clothes for myself or clothes for my kids, I can bring some things that I'm done using or my kids are done using, very, um, positive space to be in, and I love that you've created that around food, because yeah, there is so much, shame tied, tied to just asking for help in general or needing, needing help.
Mari: Right.
Chaney: be like that. I
like, you know, little babies, they cry. That's like one of the first things we do as humans is like cry for help. Like why do we like suppress that when we get older?
Rosie: Well, yeah. and and just in start, you know, you starting the fridge or us starting MSJ, we to ask for You had to ask for help.
we're all not experts at, at everything or at, you know, [00:22:00] building a pantry or filing paperwork or, or any of that letting people know. About vulnerabilities is important because that lets people in and grows community and connections and Then awesome stuff like the hope community fridge happens
Mari: Yes, I see your kitty. Hello Kitty. I am.
Chaney: Tiger
Mari: Hi Tiger. You can tell I'm a cat person, . I was like, oh, are those ears
Aw. Um, yeah. So I had a question about like, what, what is something that you think I. when in talking to people about this work that you do, what is something that you hear a lot of or that you've heard people say that maybe isn't true about, um, food insecurity or, uh, I don't know, just kind of some misconceptions that maybe people have that you can, uh, you know, brings shed [00:23:00] some light on.
Chaney: Well, I mean, food insecurity shows no mercy. Our elderly, our food insecure, our veterans, school children, like our students, like it touches everybody. like I've heard people say, know, Oh, I don't wanna help people 'cause they're just gonna then spend their money on drugs or something. It is like, if they're hungry, we should uplift our neighbors, you know,
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Chaney: and like, you know, bring them out of suffering.
Mari: help. Not, we don't need to put conditions on, you know, you don't hand someone a $5 bill and say, you have to spend it on this
Rosie: right
Mari: something I think you need, not what you actually need.
Rosie: yes and you would hope that people are experts in their own lives and know how to best spend the five that whatever.
Mari: Right.
Chaney: Sometimes like, um, people are [00:24:00] worried like just one person's taking all the food. And I would like to remind them we don't know their story.
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Chaney: could be taking care of their elderly or they could be like a family of five. Like
Mari: right?
Chaney: we don't know.
Rosie: Right. Yeah. And it's our not our place to ask or judge.
and Cheney, you were talking about it affects everyone. I think, um, there was just a report like last week or this week from the U. S. Department of Agriculture, um, than 44. 2 million Americans, um, Are in households or have lived in households that have struggled with hunger 2022 and that's an increase of over 10 million from previous
Mari: Whew.
Rosie: and in this another survey found about one in six adults relied on charitable such as free groceries or meals last year and [00:25:00] that is higher for black and Latino households and also single parent households.
Um, so when we talk, talk about food insecurity, I think we have a picture in our head of that person who is dealing with that may look like.
written, you know, but I think about my grandma who gets meals on wheels,
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: she is a benefit of a program that helps people who are food insecure. When we pay our tax dollars to, you know, to go to our public schools, are also helping provide meals for kids who are food insecure and rely on that breakfast and that lunch every day
even meals over the summer in order make it through the day not hungry. So, it. you said, yeah, I think affects way more people than, than we realize.
Chaney: statistically, like we all know someone who's food insecure, [00:26:00] whether they like, are vocal about it or not,
Mari: Right.
Rosie: Again, like, the, the shame aspect of it makes it a, a quieter problem is. Something, we don't talk about it because we're, feel too proud or are worried what other people are going to think about us. If we say I'm having making ends meet this month, and I only have 25 left to spend on groceries and that's not going to be enough for my me and my three kids
Understanding that, like, everybody is probably just doing best that they can.
And, um, economically, things are really difficult right now. I
Mari: Whew.
Rosie: even just the price of groceries increase astronomically
Chaney: Yeah.
Rosie: COVID. Um, and that, and, you know, things like rent and stuff. And so trying, but we haven't seen wages rise at the same weight
Mari: Of course not.
Rosie: rate. Um, so we're seeing people struggling to try to fit these puzzle pieces together and just something is gotta give. And I think that's awesome that if, if [00:27:00] that grocery puzzle piece isn't gonna fit in what they have that month, that they can go to a community fridge , a mutual aid
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: get what they need. because in food insecure is traumatic
Mari: Right.
Rosie: can affect all aspects of your life.
Mari: Yes.
Chaney: I mean, how can a student concentrate on like their classwork their like stomach is hurting,
Rosie: There
Mari: can't.
Rosie: about, um, like standardized testing, uh, that came out a few years ago. And the best way to increase scores for standardized testing is to make sure that students are fed. And it astronomically. Increases scores, and it's, you know, it's not like extra study time. It's you know, prep work leading up to the test.
It's just not being hungry. It was what
Mari: Wow.
Rosie: get kids to focus.
Mari: That's a good, uh, plug for the state of Tennessee to accept that federal funding that our [00:28:00] governor is saying we don't want, for some reason, um, to help some of these . bright, talented students in our schools that folks claim to care so much a lot of that money goes toward that, toward feeding them.
Rosie: oh, yeah. That's, I find that so infuriating just that they don't want to get this funding have to spend it a way, which of those certain ways is, yes, kids. Kids.
Chaney: no,
do that,
Mari: right
Rosie: How dare
Mari: now that that is conditional money because , because we don't want our state to just decide to spend it on sports or something like that.
Rosie: well, and I feel like our our in particular, well, mean, guess state, but you they, they always are trying to like, look for these ways on like how to increase test
scores and now our schools are going to have [00:29:00] like a letter attached to which isn't helpful. but then we're going to take away, um, this important funding that feeds our kids
Mari: Right,
Rosie: that, you know, provide services for our special needs students.
Mari: right.
Rosie: just. and it's, think these type of issues, if you don't live in a red state, uh, is maybe not something that you're, you're aware of, because, you know, in blue states, usually there's a lot more, like social aid programs
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: people that are, more programs and they're more easily accessible in here.
That's just not the case.
Mari: right.
Rosie: and it's going to be hard, you know, there's less of those programs available. And then also we're going to see funding for even just in public spheres like school, that funding dry up. Um, and so that's why it's so important, um, for people you, Chaney, like, I'm so glad that you're doing what you're doing, because these services and programs are [00:30:00] just so important,
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: in our area in these red states.
Mari: Yes. They really, really are . I'm kind of curious what, uh, what goes the fastest? What, what do you, what are you finding that you need the most that maybe would translate also to other areas as far as, you know, like maybe fresh produce goes the fastest. Especially since I know it's so expensive.
So tell us a little bit about what . What the community fridge needs the most of and, and maybe cadence as far as I, like we said at the beginning, a lot of people think about donating around the holidays, but you know, are there other times of year that that folks are hungry? Yes. All times of year,
Chaney: But yeah, I mean, we will definitely see an increase of people coming during the winter, as, you know, like heating and electric
skyrocket.
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Chaney: but things [00:31:00] that go by the quickest, definitely fresh fruit that would be gone. Proteins like, um, the little tuna packets, those will go
quickly as well as like any type of water or juice.
Rosie: Okay.
Chaney: for some reason sweet potatoes, they hang around a while. I don't
know
Rosie: Okay. was, I was literally just thinking about sweet potatoes, like when you were talking about fresh produce, I am a sweet potato fan, I love inexpensive,
provide your body with like all of the amino acids and everything that you, like they are a complete meal, like They're of the best things that you can eat. Um, so that makes me sad. Maybe we need like an educational, like a flyer. Like
Mari: the potatoes
Rosie: see sweet potatoes, snag that because it's gonna be great. Just steam it. can put
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: peanuts on top or a little bit of butter or even like some maple
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: great.
Mari: Mm. Yeah. [00:32:00] You're talking to fellow Sweet Potato fans. I think. I love, eat it anyway. . Yeah.
Rosie: because they just have it as like street food in
Mari: Right. Oh, they're so good. Maybe it's just 'cause they're, they take a long time to prepare. I don't know. I,
Chaney: that's one thing you I think about, at least when I buy for the fridge, is like, who can use this? Do they have
they have a microwave? Like do they even have an oven? So.
Mari: right? Yeah. I know that I've heard, you know, with, um, mac and cheese or something like that, like, like choose the box that you don't need butter and milk, you know, choose it. The, the just add water type of things because, you know, you may, it, it's kind of hard when you give someone something or, or they, they choose it and they need it and they don't have all of the other things to make it happen, so they have to put it back.
Chaney: Yeah.
Rosie: Yeah. That, no, that's a very, very fair pair, point, um, and like, like the tuna packet. So that's something that's [00:33:00] easy that you can open up and slap on a piece of bread or a
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: Um, and it's very filling,
or like, you know, an apple, you can just eat that. Whereas lot, the vegetables might be harder or even like some of the canned goods you need, or you would want hopefully a way to like heat some of those
Chaney: Because a lot of hotels, they, you know, don't have stove tops
Rosie: right, they might
microwave and maybe a mini fridge if that.
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: is there anything else about like the food insecurity landscape in our area that you wish people knew? Or do you think there's anything in particular to our area or to Chattanooga or just like red States in general?
Chaney: I am not sure if it's anything unique, but I mean, you, Can see just like grocery stores just shutting down because of theft.
so they
Rosie: Right, which is, yeah, so they say, right, and,[00:34:00]
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: is just a sign of,
Chaney: poverty
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: and then, uh, needs are not being met in an area. And I know, like, where you, newer community on Brainerd, that is a food desert.
Chaney: Mm-Hmm.
Mari: Yep.
Rosie: was a Walmart there and it closed down because of, like you said, you know, theft, quote
Mari: Right.
Chaney: Yep.
Rosie: Um, and so now folk, there are a lot of folks, a lot of folks that live in that area, and it's very, um, accessible to public transportation. And unfortunately, there's nowhere on that road to get fresh food. I don't even know if there's like a Dollar General or anything on that road.
Chaney: I think, um,
gas station people buy their milk from the gas station.
Rosie: When you, but when you think about like how far somebody would have to travel in order to get access to produce and canned
things like that, um, [00:35:00] that creates a huge barrier for people,
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: Especially if you're working multiple jobs or you're working different shifts and Public transportation is not not available at those times If you don't have you know, you don't have a car or you only have so much money available every month I you know, you were talking about the the fridge that you would visit being over half an hour away so Increasing access to different communities is super important. And, you I wonder, like, on a municipal level, like, how do we, and we don't, we don't have to have the answer to this question because I'm not, I'm not part of city government or county government, but, you know, I, like, are there ways to incentivize grocery stores to build in areas where there are food deserts? I think about, In the area of town that I live in, we have like 12 [00:36:00] grocery
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: a 10 minute drive area. It's ridiculous.
that many. In fact, they're building, uh, there's a Publix on East Brainerd Road, building another one just like less than
Mari: Mm-Hmm. . Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: Um, across from a food city, and there's another food city
Mari: Yep. Yep.
Rosie: down the road the other way. So yeah, we don't, don't need it. But because the area is higher income,
they see, I guess, you know, more of an opportunity opportunity in these food desert areas. And I, but I think, I wish, and I'm sure there must be ways to Uh, subsidize or incentivize building grocery stores,, in these food desert areas.
I think about, there's um, there is a grocery store called Common, Common Ground, that is in a food desert in our area and they a lot of like, more locally like sourced ingredients, which is really neat because it's benefiting the local community
Chaney: Oh yeah. I love
Rosie: you know, the [00:37:00] consumer end and also the producers.
Mari: right?
So I just saw you post Janie about needing a home for another fridge. So I guess kind of tell us the process. So let's say someone listening might be like, that sounds like something I could potentially do. So what, what's kind of the first step?
So you, you actually have a refrigerator, right?
Chaney: Yep. Someone donated another refrigerator to us, so. I've got it all cleaned out. It's ready to go. So
Mari: you just need a spot to put it.
Chaney: Um, know, step two is finding a host location.
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Chaney: I'm looking for locations, it needs to be, um, you know, outside so people can just walk up to it.
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Chaney: Um, tidbits I'm looking for is like, does it have access to parking? there a sidewalk? You know, if I was in a wheelchair, could I [00:38:00] to the
Mari: Right,
Chaney: and then, you know, talking with the host, making them understand, you know, we are not policing the food,
Mari: right.
Chaney: doing that.
Mari: Nope.
Chaney: And then, looking at the area, is there a food city right next door? Well then, you know, maybe this isn't the best location, but like, if you want
we'll we'll put a fridge
Mari: right.
Rosie: Does accessibility to public, because I know our public transportation system here is pretty limited. Um, I guess if it's it is accessible to public transportation, that's a, that's a gold star. But, um, that might be hard to find, I'm sure.
Chaney: Yeah. Like, um, at Wesley Memorial, it's a 20 minute walk from the nearest bus stop. Yeah.
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Chaney: Um, with no sidewalks either to it. So
Rosie: We
Mari: Man,
Rosie: in Chattanooga, I think.
Mari: I don't either. And benches. We don't want people to sit down [00:39:00] and we want people to walk in the road.
Rosie: Yeah.
Mari: or in the grass.
Rosie: Get hit by a
Mari: right?
Rosie: It's, yeah. Luckily, though, we do have, uh, people like the Chattanooga Urbanist
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: that are trying to raise awareness of these issues and,
Mari: Put benches places.
Rosie: put benches places, yeah.
Mari: It's a radical, a radical act. Putting a bench somewhere. Putting a fridge somewhere. What? This is crazy,
Rosie: Yeah, have you ever received any kind of pushback from anyone whether on like the city or county level or um, just individuals? No?
Chaney: Mm,
Rosie: Everyone's been on, I mean, yeah, everybody should be on board, but
Mari: right? Mm-Hmm.
Chaney: no. Um, like our, we try to keep up with code with the health department.
Mari: Hmm.
Chaney: the same way, like if. The health department were to go into the restaurant. You know, we're not gonna have like raw meat sitting next to a carrot
Mari: Right.
Chaney: So [00:40:00] if they were to say anything like, we're already nice and good,
Mari: Yeah. How often do you visit your fridges?
Chaney: Oh, all the time. All the time. Um,
Rosie: you're so awesome about posting this, like, the current status
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: and whether it's full or it needs some love and care.
Chaney: Oh yeah. Like every day we have a volunteer, go check the fridge. Um, they're checking the inventory if it's clean, um, the temperature.
Rosie: And I think that's another thing, too, if you don't necessarily have the, the funds or extra food that you can donate to the fridge, but you have some time and
supplies, you can go in and clean out the fridge and that's a great help, um, because there's so much. Yeah, there's so much food, you know, moving in and out every day, um,
it feels good, I think, for people to be going to a space that is clean
Mari: Mm-Hmm. . Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: and, you guys like, you know, [00:41:00] you paint the, the pantry with like cool mural and stuff
Mari: Oh, they're beautiful.
Rosie: Yeah.
Chaney: Alicia Verb. Berks, I'm, I'm probably butchering her name. She painted that for us.
Mari: It's beautiful.
Rosie: I, yeah, I think sometimes we underestimate the value of, like, beauty in art,
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: especially in Um, spaces where are being donated or giving, given away for free. Um, but you know, we should treat those things and those spaces with as much respect as we would in our own home. And doesn't it feel so much more warm and welcoming and don't you feel cared for when you.
Go to a space, and there's a beautiful mural on the wall,
clean, and um, it's like, it's like the same thing when people like donate stuff to Goodwill. I'm like, this is dirty and broken, y'all.
have just thrown it in the trash, or like clean it before you
Mari: right? Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: [00:42:00] It's not that much effort.
Chaney: Yeah.
our volunteers, we do have like Lysol wipes and stuff obviously to clean it. Um, so if there is a dirty can they, they will just give it a quick shine over
Mari: Aw,
Rosie: they're just like
at the site?
Mari: that's nice.
Rosie: Oh, that's nice. Okay, so yeah, anybody can just go up and, and clean out the fridge if they want to. Give a little bit of their time and
a more awesome place.
Chaney: Yeah.
Mari: that's really cool.
Chaney: too, if people have, um, their phones, they could scan this QR code, and it's what the volunteers use and we really encourage our patrons to use it too. Um, just to like, fill out the data. Like if they're taking food, if they're leaving food,
issues, um, they can fill that out and that's really helpful.
Mari: That's great.
Rosie: you're capturing all of
Mari: Mm-Hmm.
Rosie: Um, and I assume you guys take monetary donations as well? And, and you use that just for like big, like big grocery shopping [00:43:00] trips?
Chaney: And, um, that helps us have money to build more fridges too.
Rosie: That's awesome.
Chaney: time we probably spent around $800 on building materials.
Rosie: Oh, wow. Yeah, building materials. Another thing that's gone up in price.
Mari: Yeah. wonder if I can, like,
Chaney: it seems.
Mari: can I do this? Can I wonder if people can scan it? Maybe?
Rosie: well, and I'll put, um, show notes a link to that website and contact So if anybody wants to
Mari: Yeah. And to donate.
Rosie: to donate, to clean, whatever, or need it themselves, they know where to go for that information.
Mari: We're just so thankful that you did this and took the initiative and, um, are caring for people in our community That you came on today to tell us a little bit about it, because I think it's a, it's a, it's an accessible way for people to [00:44:00] get involved in their community because, you know, even if you don't have the funds to donate food.
You, like Rosie said, you might have a little time to go check the fridge or maybe you don't even have time to do that, but your church or, uh, you know, rec center, maybe you have an end there and you feel like it could be a good spot for one. I was, I've been racking my brain trying to think of a spot for that, that new fridge.
Do you have any leads yet?
Chaney: lead, um, near UTC. I'm gonna go meet them
Mari: Ooh.
Rosie: Oh, that would be great.
Chaney: next week, I believe.
Mari: Great
Rosie: college students. Another group of people that are food insecure that
about. But yeah, for sure. And
so love talking to you and hearing about this project, especially as we said at the beginning of this episode, there is going on in the world and like your own personal story, right?
Like, we can't help, we, hands not [00:45:00] physically part of that, the situation that is going on right now between Israel and Palestine, we can help our own community, um, in lot of different ways, and this is one of the awesome ways that people can help.
Mari: Well thank you again so much and uh, look forward to hearing where that new fridge. Ends up and how we can help
Chaney: me luck.
Mari: Good luck,
Rosie: you. Our community is.
Chaney: That'd be great. Yeah.
Mari: Yeah,
Rosie: like, clearly, this is a clear example of moms getting shit done.
Mari: it is a clear example and I love it so much.
Rosie: Yes. Thank Chaney.
Chaney: Thanks
Mari: Thanks.
Thanks for listening to the Moms for Social Justice podcast. If you would like to support Hope Community Fridge, you can find links to the organization in our show notes, and there you can learn more about donating money, [00:46:00] food, or time. Right now, they are working to assemble winter care kits, so I'll also leave a link to their Amazon wishlist for items that they'll need to assemble those kits.
We'll see you back here in two weeks. Bye!