The CYC Community Fridge has been up and running now since mid-December. During this time, we established a partnership with a local food recovery organization, Eat Greater Des Moines. They help provide fresh food on 3 days/week. Our staff manages the fridge, and our partners help us supply it. We consistently see the food utilized which is amazing! Our community has greater access to healthy food, and it reduces waste from corporate entities in Des Moines!

This funding really helped us get the project off the ground. We were able to purchase the building materials for the shed, work with a professional carpenter, and run electricity from our building to the shed. This spring when the temperatures are appropriate, we will put the finishing touch on the project with a mural from a local artist.

Community Youth Concepts will be placing a community fridge in a covered structure on the West side of our building. This location provides easy access for visitors and community members dropping food off in the fridge since it is attached to our parking lot. This area is also under video surveillance which will help keep the space safe. We plan to use funding to purchase tools for the build, materials for the shed, a refrigerator, and potentially find someone to paint the shed. We will work with our volunteer base and youth over the summer to construct the shed and we will collaborate with community partners on the design.