Through its Feel Good Fridge Initiative, the Whirlpool Corporation is donating refurbished, previously owned refrigerators to community organizations nationwide that combat hunger.
In October, two of Philabundance’s community partners received refrigerator donations through Whirlpool’s Feel Good Fridge. SisterHood Inc. in Burlington, New Jersey, received four refrigerators to provide for the 500 – 600 people they see each week.
“It’s kind of beyond a great thing,” Arthur Muise, food pantry manager at SisterHood Inc. said. “It helps us preserve the food instead of having too much sit out. We can have a space for the vegetables and fruits we receive to keep them from going bad.”
St. Michael’s Food Pantry in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood also received two refrigerators that employees and volunteers are eager to use to store frozen supplies.
“We wouldn’t be able to feed the 100 families that we are able to feed,” said Janice, a longtime volunteer of St. Michael’s. “This pantry has been here for over 50 years. Pre-COVID, we served 30 – 35 families max; we now serve over 100 families and growing.”
Both SisterHood Inc. and St. Michael’s are among the 330 community partners who rely on weekly food deliveries from Philabundance to keep their shelves stocked. With the number of people facing hunger increasing, extra storage and quality assurance are vital for organizations serving communities in need. Thanks to Whirlpool’s program, both organizations can better fight food insecurity.