REISTERSTOWN, Md. — Have you ever opened your refrigerator and said, "There's nothing in here to eat"? For some people in our community, that's a harsh reality. But one Reisterstown resident is working to change that.
WATCH: Baltimore County gets its first community fridge thanks to Reisterstown resident
Alessandra Giampaolo Keener, who already hosts a little free library on her front lawn, has expanded her community service by adding Baltimore County's first community refrigerator.
The fridge, which became operational in July, is stocked with free food for neighbors in need.
"The economy is just not allowing people to have their grocery budgets to last as long as they used to. Food has gotten so expensive," said Keener.
The Reisterstown community fridge joins a growing network of similar initiatives already established throughout Baltimore City. The premise is simple and judgment-free.
"We work on the premise, that I believe all the fridges in the Baltimore area do, which is, take what you need for the day, enjoy your food at home, and come back later in the week if you're still hungry. We're not here to judge. We're not here to gatekeep food," said Keener.
Since launching the fridge, community support has been strong. Abbe Epstein, who lives a few miles away, has become a regular contributor, preparing home-cooked meals when supplies run low.
"I think in another, my other life I was a chef. So, I'm a repressed chef. So, I enjoy cooking and I don't have that many people to cook for, so I can cook for the community," said Epstein.
During a recent visit, Epstein delivered five pans of still-warm chicken tortilla bake, made with chicken that had been donated to the fridge.
Local businesses are also getting involved. Kelsey Marcus from The Reister's Daughter Café dropped off leftover pastries during our visit.
"It's definitely a good way for us to reduce waste. That's something that's really important for our business and what we do. If it can help benefit the community, then that's a great addition," said Marcus.
Alessandra set up a GoFundMe to get the community fridge started. The plan is to move it to her front lawn beside the library and provide shelving for canned goods and toiletries. They also have a Target wish list where you can purchase the most needed items.
If you’d like to help, go here.
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