PITTSBURGH — The Garden Cafe on Pittsburgh’s North Side is not only serving up coffee but also fighting food insecurity in the neighborhood in a unique way.
A red community refrigerator is located in the back of the coffee shop on Chestnut Street and Spring Garden Avenue. It’s tucked away in a colorful enclosure that says, “Free Food.”
“I mean that’s the golden rule of the community fridge is to take what you need and donate what you can,” said Gayle McGarril, owner of the Garden Café.
McGarril opened the Garden Café two years ago. She wanted to find a way to give back to the community and got the idea of a community fridge from social media.
She started to raise money for it, unsure how it would go. But the community fridge is now proving to be a success in helping those in need in the community.
While we were there, a box of canned goods and more was dropped off and filled the pantry. A man stopped on his way to work to grab some eggs and other items.
McGarril also receives donations from local food pantries, farmers and even appreciative customers.
If you would like to donate, click here.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
This browser does not support the video element.