Stratford YMCA Community Fridge & Pantry Celebrates Opening

STRATFORD, CT — Officials celebrated the opening of the Stratford YMCA Community Fridge & Pantry with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this week.

The Stratford YMCA Community Fridge & Pantry is located on the James Street side of the YMCA property (3405 Main Street), in the shed outside.

It is open daily to the community, based on the YMCA operating hours, and is designed as a "take what you need, leave what you can" program.

The Community Fridge & Pantry project “happily accepts donations of prepackaged, prepared meals, fresh produce, dairy, non-perishables, snacks and more.”

“Community fridges act as a grassroots response to the food insecurity crisis,” Mayor Laura Hoydick wrote in a post on Facebook. “They are especially critical in neighborhoods where traditional forms of food assistance are difficult to access. The goal is to reduce food insecurity by providing free, direct access to nutritious food made possible through community partnerships, local food stores, and restaurants. Thank you to the Stratford YMCA for bringing this project to fruition with support from the Stratford Rotary Club and the YUSA Hunger Relief Grant.

“Congratulations to Executive Director Suzanne Richards and staff, we thank you for your continued support of our community!”

For photos from the ribbon-cutting ceremony, visit here.