Today we’d like to introduce you to Weber Fridge.
Weber, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Weber Fridge started in 2022 with a small handful of community members knowing a better world is possible. Where hunger wasn’t a commonplace, where food that would be wasted would be shared instead, where neighbors could meet each other’s needs instead of hoping the state would save us. Mutual aid is the heart of Weber Fridge; the idea that cooperation, not competition, is how we thrive, and that we save us. Founding members had experienced other Freedge (free fridge) programs, and brought it to our beautiful community of Ogden. Our beginnings were humble: a donated fridge, painted pink and green, and an old red cooler for pantry items. Our old hosts, Fiction Art Collective, were so accommodating and supportive of what we could accomplish.
Now we have evolved, and moved to Urban Prairie Agriculture, and have a large pantry that houses the fridge and pantry items. Next to the fridge is a Narcan vending machine, stocked with test strips, socks, narcan, and other essential items for the community. We host monthly events called “Weber Eats”, with free food, live music, free crafts, medical care provided by Ogden Fire Department Homeless Outreach Advocates, and a Really Really Free Market.
We believe in free food, no stigma. The Weber Fridge provides food without barriers, “proof” of need, or judgement. Everyone hungers, everyone eats. Anyone can contribute or take, operating off a “take what you need, leave what you can” model. Churches, youth groups, unhoused folks, schools, business, individuals, and neighborhoods regularly fill and use the fridge.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There were bumps in our road, which we took as opportunities to strengthen our mission and to change what is possible. We have been through 3 fridges, due to weather and use. We had a few weeks of vandalism after another interview. There are naysayers online, many of whom were hurt by the lack of food. Sometimes the fridge is empty. Sometimes people go hungry. We had to quickly move locations in the summer of 2025, at no fault of our last hosts. There’s the learning curve of meeting the community needs. Dare to struggle, dare to win!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Paperwork can be violent. Not in the active sense, but in the passive denial of support. “Your application has been denied for SNAP”. “Your housing voucher will not be renewed.” “You do not meet the requirements for care.” The slashing of food budgets is a pen stroke with permanent hunger as a consequence. We are different from non-profits as we don’t require “proof” of need. We simply trust that members of the community know what it best for them. We don’t take a paternalistic approach to feeding people. There is no requirements for sobriety, being housed, for income, for employment, for documentation status, for speaking English. It is, and always will be, free food and no stigma. There is no requirement to add to the fridge, or to make the change. We don’t require permission to engage in the fridge, fundraising for or shopping for it. Anyone can take, anyone can contribute. See a problem, fix a problem! There is a large network of Freedge programs across the US, and many more are up and coming.
(The responder of this interview is a licensed clinical social worker, and knows how the red-tape of bureaucracy IS violent. Is hunger, when there is excess food, not violent? Is sleeping unhoused, when there are vacant habitable places available, not violent? How do we expect people to respond to these hardships with dignity, except by offering dignity and choice?)
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Members of the fridge grew up in all the different flavors and ways imaginable. We have members who started using drugs at children, we have members who have doctorates, and we have members who have done both! As for the fridge itself, it’s always been pink and green, a watermelon happy to be planted and growing! The fridge is 3 years old and has fed thousands. What an accomplishment for a fridge!
Pricing:
- Free!
- Food donations wanted and welcome
- Money donations wanted and welcome
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/weberfridge
- Instagram: @weberfridge
- Facebook: @weberfridge
- Other: https://hcb.hackclub.com/donations/start/weber-fridge
