Shrewsbury Opens First Free Food Refrigerator

SHREWSBURY, MA — Shrewsbury's newest place to eat is totally free.

The new Shrewsbury Community Fridge opened this month in a custom shed outside the senior center at 100 Maple Ave. All the food in the fridge is free to take, and residents can also leave food behind for others — like a colder version of little free libraries.

"It's a take what you need, give what you can model," Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Beth Casavant said at the meeting Tuesday.

The fridge comes courtesy of the Rotary Club of Shrewsbury, which received permission earlier this year from the town to place the fridge on town property. The fridge will sit next to the town farmers market, which kicked off its summer 2022 season on Wednesday.

Free fridges flourished locally during the pandemic — a way to assist people struggling with food insecurity. Worcester opened its first free fridge in January 2021 in the Main South neighborhood. The program has since grown to six refrigerators across the city — and a seventh on the way. Boston also has multiple free fridges across the city.

Guidelines for use of the fridge can be found on its shed at the senior center. At the moment, the fridge is not accepting donations of raw meat or seafood, and nothing in glass containers.

"The Shrewsbury Community Fridge aims to build community and fill the gaps between food security and equity," the fridge's Facebook page says.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the number of free fridges in Worcester.