Neighborhood Fridge opens its first Tampa pantry

If you see the little yellow building on the corner North Willow Ave that is the newest Neighborhood Fridge location.

“Neighborhood Fridge is a community-led project, combating food insecurity and waste in marginalized communities in Central Florida and now in Tampa. Powered by mutual aid and solidarity, we like to say we’re not a charity- mutual aid is how we do this,” says Ahmad Alkowni, pantry manager and Tampa volunteer coordinator, about the organization.

According to Feeding America, 1 in 8 Floridians experience food insecurity. Neighborhood Fridge is working to help with this issue.

Their Tampa chapter only began operation in December and they already have the largest of the three pantries up and running. 

For this pantry, Neighborhood Fridge partnered with Tampa Period Pantry and ICNA to provide even more necessities to the community.

The pantry stands outside Masjid Omar Al Mokhtar in West Tampa. The mosque graciously volunteered their gazebo and even their electricity for the fridges. 

Alkowni said that a team of around thirty volunteers came out to help with the painting of the pantry on Saturday the 15th.

This volunteer team ranged from graphic designers, organizers, and even children in the community.

These volunteers worked together to transform the mosque gazebo into the largest of three Neighborhood Fridge pantries in just two months.

The Pantry is distinguishable not just by its yellow exterior, but by the “Take What You Need, Leave What You Can” mural and various painted references to the Quran in homage to the mosque.

The pantry already has their sights on future projects for the space. These include a cat house for their community strays as well as a community garden.

“To anybody that’s listening to this, if you yourself need some food or you know somebody that is in need, please point them to the right direction, get them over here. We have plenty of food here, we stock it up every week and right now, we’re in the process of getting the word out,” Alkowni said.

Their pantries are open 24/7 and stocked with not just food but women’s products, diapers, and other hygiene necessities. 

However, the organization is looking for sponsors and locations for future fridges in Florida.

“Moving Forward, we are looking for different locations and different sponsors. We are looking to expand in both the Tampa and Orlando areas. If anyone knows a sponsor that would let us install one of these in front of their business, please reach out to us,” Alkowni said.

Find Out How to Get Involved Here and through their Instagram.