Waste Bins for the Detroit Community Fridges

A collaboration between Detroit Community Fridges, Freedom Dreams, and OpenWorks LLC – written by Kitchen + Sam Scardefield

Detroit Community Fridge (DCF) and Open Works at Freedom Dreams came together in the form of mutual aid in action. We have collaborated to construct waste bins for the fridge locations within the DCF network, which emerged from a need. That need called for the support of community, allowing us to lean on others who could provide the tools and capacity to meet our need for waste bins.

Since the installation of the fridges and pantries, we have been having issues with the maintenance of food waste. 

We then collaborated, building trash/compost bins as a solution to hygiene concerns while creating a more effective trash and compost process for the fridge sites. Handling trash and compost in heavily trafficked areas is no easy feat and comes at a laborious and smelly price! 

DCF is a network of community fridges and food sheds throughout Detroit where dry goods and pre-made meals are consistently stocked for those combating food insecurity, a racial disparity that pervades Detroit. This is a community-led effort where interdependence is necessary. We partner with local businesses, community farms, and residents to sustain the fridges that are located throughout the city:

Hats Galore & More - 10061 Harper Ave. 

Islandview - 1812 Field St.

Bridging Communities - 6900 McGraw Ave. 

Santos Church - 1953 Military St.

Beaverland Farms - 15052 Grayfield St. 

Freedom Dreams is a coalition of community members and organizations collaborating to promote community agency, health, and wealth while working against gentrification in the Chene-Ferry neighborhood. One of the organizations within Freedom Dreams is Open Works; a makerspace where neighbors and youth come together to support the activation of structures and spaces within community hubs, urban farms and gardens, neighborhood corridors, and public schools taking direct action as community-scale production woven into place-based education.

Collaborating with Open Works and Freedom Dreams has meant more than just building these bins, we’ve built something more lasting – connection. Together we have been able to pool our skills, creativity, and perspectives to create not only functional pieces of vital infrastructure, but energy around the work being done both at Freedom Dreams and among DCF. 

We have tremendous abilities as a collective and together we create pathways we wouldn’t be able to imagine without jumping in and covering our hands in saw dust. 

From those who had never picked up a drill, to experienced carpenters, every one of us had both, something to offer and something to learn. 

Together we stand and build upon a legacy of critical movements and collective actions that have emerged over time in Detroit; something  we may never be able to see in its entirety. Or see its impact; like a mycelium network interconnected, communicative, mutual, and resilient; qualities we all strive for in our relationships. Each tendril, synapse, node, organization, and individual are able to emerge to create and support  each other like the actions of DCF and Freedom Dreams. 

Dreaming, struggling, and laughing together strengthens us as neighbors, as mutual aiders, and as comrades – this collaboration is evidence of that.

Wanna learn more, interested in helping out or want to donate to DCF?  

Message via Instagram: @DetroitCommunityFridge | Donate via Venmo @detroitcommunityfridge

Learn more about Freedom Dreams and get updates on what’s next for them

Send an email: infofreedomdreams@gmail.com