A community fridge serving Williamsburg residents is seeking a new location before the Music Hall of Williamsburg closes in December. The move would mark its second relocation in less than a year, according to Journalism Blog Brooklyn.
The volunteer-run resource provides free groceries to neighbors experiencing food insecurity across the neighborhood.
The fridge is one of four maintained by North Brooklyn Mutual Aid. It has operated outside the music venue since last year, after moving from the Lot Radio in Greenpoint. The fridge served that location from 2020 until food licensing requirements prompted its relocation.
“There’s so much money in this city, someone can’t throw a hundred K at this?” said Jen Dalton, a volunteer for North Brooklyn Mutual Aid. Dalton has volunteered with the nonprofit since 2020, when she sought ways to help support her neighbors during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Music Hall’s closure follows its $14 million sale to developer Michael Weitzman. North Brooklyn Mutual Aid is now looking for another site.
The search comes as food insecurity remains a concern in North Brooklyn. New York City Council data cited in the report indicates the area has a higher-than-average number of residents facing food insecurity and fewer city-funded food assistance programs than other parts of the city.
The NYU Furman Center reported that average rents in North Brooklyn rose about 102 percent between 2006 and 2024.
The fridge relies on volunteers to buy and deliver groceries. Each stocking receives a reimbursement of up to $60. Volunteer Jen Dalton, who has worked with the group since 2020, shops weekly for eggs, milk, pasta, beans, potatoes and carrots. The food can disappear quickly as residents gather while volunteers restock the refrigerator.
North Brooklyn Mutual Aid has not announced a replacement location.
The group must find a suitable site before the venue closes in December to avoid another interruption in access to free food.
