Funky Town Fridge's mission of feeding the needy hampered by theft

Fort Worth, Texas - An unsettling event occurred last week that disrupted the operations of Fort Worth-based non-profit, Funky Town Fridge. The organization's community refrigerator, located on Village Creek Road, was stolen. This incident deprives hundreds of less fortunate residents of a vital resource for their nutritional needs.

Distributed throughout the city, these benevolent fridges serve as a continuous source of support for those grappling with food insecurity. The organization is now urgently appealing for community assistance to help identify the individual or group behind this brazen theft at their Stop 6 site, an area known for its high poverty rates.

To Funky Town Fridge, the stolen fridge was more than a household appliance—it was a lifeline for many within the local community, as per Dallas Metro News.

Jhamal Huckaby, who is closely involved in managing Tabor Farms in Southeast Fort Worth, said, “You don’t have to show your I.D. or anything like that. You just come open a fridge and take what you need, and donate what you have.”

Until recently, Tabor Farms was the host site for a Funky Town Fridge. “It had zucchini, squash and bell peppers, plenty of water. I even had some popsicles in there for kids that might be walking in the neighborhood and maybe want to eat something cool,” Huckaby recalled.

However, after a late-night work session last Thursday, Huckaby returned the following morning to find an almost-empty shed, its community refrigerator nowhere to be found.

“I left at 11:30, and I came back the next day and the fridge was gone. So, between I say midnight and 6 a.m. the fridge was gone,” Huckaby stated.

The incident's aftermath has left community members like Smooth June feeling a profound sense of loss, with access to fresh, healthy food significantly diminished.

June told NBC DFW, “My feelings are really hurt. The fact that we cannot provide for our community as of right now is just very hurtful.”

The stolen fridge represented a crucial resource in the ongoing struggle against food insecurity in the locality.

Huckaby described the situation as, “We’re not in a food desert, but it is a food swamp. A food swamp is where we have nothing but fast food and maybe one grocery store. I want our fridge to be returned.”

In a heartfelt plea, Huckaby urged the thief or anyone with information to respond to his call. “Just bring our fridge back, man,” Huckaby appealed. “I understand you might think money, but you are being very very selfish by taking away from myself and the whole community.”

As of late Monday afternoon, volunteers have committed to donating a replacement refrigerator. The organization, however, is now faced with the logistical challenge of positioning the sizable appliance at its assigned spot.