Published: 07/20/2023 - 8:00 AM
We're partnering with Mama-Tee Community Fridge Project to Combat Food Insecurity in North Philly!
The Columbia North YMCA is pleased to announce it has been chosen as the next location for a Mama-Tee Community Fridge. A “grand opening” for the newest refrigerator will be held at the Columbia North YMCA (1400 N. Broad Street) on July 26th, 2023 at 3:00pm.
The Mama-Tee Community Fridge Project is a food support initiative that assists neighbors in need. Awarded Best of Philly in 2022 and established in 2020, this project has made a significant impact by providing assistance to over 180,000 families within the city. Presently, there are 18 Mama-Tee Fridges dedicated to one mission: to help support anyone in need of food while also encouraging those with extra provisions to generously share their surplus. With the support of local nonprofits, restaurants, grocery stores, and generous individuals, the Mama-Tee Fridges help prevent edible food from being wasted by redirecting it to those who are in need.
The impact of food insecurity is everywhere in this city. In the most recent census, Philadelphia was found to have a 23.1% poverty rate - a rate double the national average. Nearly 250,000 residents are considered to be food insecure. North Philadelphia is widely-considered a “food desert”, an urban area in which fresh, quality, affordable food cannot be easily found. The impact of all this is most-striking when comparing life expectancy across zip codes within the city, where children born in North Philadelphia have a 20-year shorter life expectancy than those born in Old City.
“The YMCA and Mama-Tee’s share a mission of helping people live healthier lives. Nothing impacts your health more than what you eat, and how you stay active. So, this is a very natural partnership, and one we hope will strengthen and connect this community”, says Fredericka Christmas, Executive Director of the Columbia North YMCA.
“Food insecurity is not a homeless thing, it’s a people thing. It can happen to anyone”, says Dr. Michelle Nelson, Founder/Creative Director of Mama-Tee.
Grand Opening Event
Where:
Join us at the front entrance of the Columbia North YMCA.
When:
Our Grand Opening event will begin at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.
Check out the impact the YMCA has on the Greater Philadelphia area: