Community fridge aims to help New Yorkers in need on UES

NEW YORK - Food insecurity in the city seems to be growing, but two local non-profits are finding a new way to help neighbors on the Upper East Side, opening a community fridge that could be a saving grace for New Yorkers in need.

Alana Katz is one of several volunteers who offered to fill the fridge, bringing 200 turkey sandwiches made by volunteers from the Central Synagogue. 

"There's so much excess food and it's so nice to be able to do something like this to help our neighbors," Katz said.

The fridge is located on the sidewalk outside Holmes Towers, a NYCHA building in Yorkville on First Avenue and East 93rd Street. The food is available to anyone who needs it no matter where they live. 

"It is much needed, we are getting people from all over apparently they are hungry," said Sandra Perez, the tenant association president.

The nonprofit Grassroots Grocery and the Gotham Food Pantry came together to get the fridge open.

"The idea is to have neighbors come together and nourish each other in their time of need," said Dan Zauderer, Executive Director and founder of Grassroots Grocery.

There are about 100 fridges around the city, with nonprofits hoping to expand to include even more communities.