Love Fridge 2025 Reflection
As we welcome the new year, we’re looking back with gratitude on what we built together in 2025. Thank you for showing up for your neighbors through The Love Fridge network. In this issue, we’re sharing reflections, highlights, and what’s ahead.
Spring Virtual Town Hall with Chef Chanell
In March, we hosted a virtual town hall on Zoom focused on spring updates with guest Chef Chanell. The gathering created space for reflection, dialogue, and connection across the network. Through shared stories and practical updates, participants explored how nourishment, creativity, and mutual aid continue to guide our work.
Full Circle Program
In 2025, we continued our Full Circle program and strengthened our partnership with our Venezuelan neighbors at El Comedor Comunitario. El Comedor Comunitario is now part of the Chicago Food Sovereignty Coalition and has access to resources through our shared hubs. Throughout the year, they regularly provided meals, including vegetarian options, delivered on Friday mornings to our Hub for weekly distributions. We also continued working with Chef Roberto Pérez of Urban Pilón, who frequently supplied meals to Austin neighbors by stocking the Stone Temple and Bethel New Life Love fridge sites. During the holiday season, Chef Kwamena Jackson of the #LetUsBreathe Collective also provided meals to support the community. We are grateful to work together in the community and to showcase these partners' care, effort, and leadership through the Full Circle program.
Site Updates
Patchwork Solar Upgrades
We continued to invest in sustainability of sites with an upgrade to the Patchwork Farms fridge site thanks to the High Wind Impact Fund and Daze of Autonomy and celebrated with community at the farm.
In June of 2025, we did a full overhaul and upgrade on the @chicagopatchworkfarms Love Fridge (2825 W Chicago Ave) in Humboldt Park. Improvements were made to the shelter, and a bigger fridge and more robust pantry were installed. But the biggest improvement was the upgraded solar capacity, all thanks to @keyante_h, @dazeofautonomy, and his amazing crew. The entire shelter and fridge received a fresh glow-up by the super talented @chemaskandal. Then we had a community celebration for the new and improved site, stocked it full of food several times over, gave out free screen printed totes (fridge dude illustration also by @chemaskandal), explained some ways that anyone can get involved (donate food, take food, clean the fridge, spread the word), shared some hot meals with our comrades @orangetentproject and enjoyed a beautiful summer day with friends and neighbors.
Please feel free to visit this fridge 24/7 to donate food, take some, or give it a good wipe-down. As always, take what you need and leave what you can. And check the Find a Fridge Map in the link tree in our bio for more Love Fridgelocations across the city.
: @radiusetc / @ramonetcphoto
Patchwork Solar Upgrades
We continued to invest in sustainability of sites with an upgrade to the Patchwork Farms fridge site thanks to the High Wind Impact Fund and Daze of Autonomy and celebrated with community at the farm.
In June of 2025, we did a full overhaul and upgrade on the @chicagopatchworkfarms Love Fridge (2825 W Chicago Ave) in Humboldt Park. Improvements were made to the shelter, and a bigger fridge and more robust pantry were installed. But the biggest improvement was the upgraded solar capacity, all thanks to @keyante_h, @dazeofautonomy, and his amazing crew. The entire shelter and fridge received a fresh glow-up by the super talented @chemaskandal. Then we had a community celebration for the new and improved site, stocked it full of food several times over, gave out free screen printed totes (fridge dude illustration also by @chemaskandal), explained some ways that anyone can get involved (donate food, take food, clean the fridge, spread the word), shared some hot meals with our comrades @orangetentproject and enjoyed a beautiful summer day with friends and neighbors.
Please feel free to visit this fridge 24/7 to donate food, take some, or give it a good wipe-down. As always, take what you need and leave what you can. And check the Find a Fridge Map in the link tree in our bio for more Love Fridgelocations across the city.
: @radiusetc / @ramonetcphoto
A House in Austin
In August of 2025, we added our second AustinLove Fridgeto the network. Located at A House in Austin, thefridgeand pantry are outside the parent-child resource hub, whose mission is to empower families holistically.
For this new site, we partnered with the wonderful team at Unknown Origins to build the shelter. Damien and Erik offered their building and design expertise to bring this new site to life, and the timing was perfect! They worked closely with Becky to customize the shelter for the location. Becky then gathered community parents to paint thefridge, and the site was ready. You can visit thisfridgeat 533 N Pine (at the corner of Pine and Race) to take what you need and leave what you can. As always, anyone can wipe down thefridge anytime, no permission needed.
Bethel New Life
Since establishing the first Love Fridge in the Austin neighborhood in 2024, we're happy to report that community support has grown steadily throughout 2025. Local chefs routinely make meals for this fridge, and neighbors keep it spotless. It also receives backing from members of other mutual aid groups within the Chicagoland Food Sovereignty Coalition (of which the Love Fridge is a founding member). Austin is a historically under-resourced neighborhood on Chicago's West Side, so any additional support you can offer this fridge is always appreciated. Located at 4945 W Division, this site offers easy parking for unloading donations. When it warms up enough, the site will also feature a new paint job!
Support the Love Fridge Fundraiser shirts
Help keep the Love Fridge running by purchasing a shirt! These long-sleeve tees feature the Love Fridge mascot, created by CHema Skandal!, printed in off-white ink on black Comfort Colors tees.