Can I Donate This? A Philly Guide to Community Fridges and Food Distros

The rules volunteers follow to keep shared food accessible and safe to feed neighbors.

On Friday mornings, the southern end of Mifflin Square Park bustles with dozens of grocery shoppers. But unlike most markets, the groceries, sourced from people and businesses with food to spare, are free.

South Philly Food Not Bombs (FnB) is a food distro (short for distribution), a pop-up where volunteers distribute free food.

When the Friday distro is over, South Philly FnB volunteers bring the remaining food to The People’s Kitchen (TPK), where it is cooked into free meals for South and Southwest Philadelphians. Anything that TPK does not use goes to an South Philadelphia Community Fridge (SPCF) fridge.

This particular distro has two events a week, but it is far from the only resource. One of eight SPCF pantries stands a few yards into the park. Although some pantries include fridges, this one isn’t near an electrical outlet. It offers free nonperishable goods at the turn of a latch, with donation instructions taped to the doors.

Dstros and pantries are “a constellation of mutual aid organizations” geared towards feeding people and saving food, as one South Philly FnB volunteer described it.

Green Philly spoke to team members from seven distros and pantries that transport, store, prepare, and/or distribute unused food for people who need it. Here’s what to know about this unseen network, and how to get involved.

Where can I find food distros and pantries in Philadelphia?

The Food Trust, Philabundance, and Share Food Program are citywide. Philabundance and Share Food Program have “Find Food” tabs on their websites’ home pages, and the Food Trust’s Nutrition Navigator includes some pantries. Each of these organizations also has volunteer opportunities.

FnB has branches in North, South, and West Philadelphia. They’re included on a map of distros and pantries, but otherwise work independently.

Check with your neighborhood civic organization or building group chat for distros and pantries in the area. Places of worship and other faith groups often double as food access points for their areas.

How do I know that food is safe for a distro or pantry?

The golden rule is to provide food that you would eat yourself or serve to your loved ones. Food is not fit for a distro or pantry if it is contaminated, expired, or rotting.

Contamination may be obvious (like food that dropped on the ground), but it can also result from perishable foods sitting at unsafe temperatures for too long. Share Food Program manager Britt Korn recommends consulting FoodKeeper when in doubt.

Half-eaten or open food containers at a distro or pantry count as contaminated and can make a mess if they leak onto storage shelves. Even if you have not opened a package of food, make sure that it has no holes.

Homemade food items should be labeled with the preparation date and ingredients so consumers can assess how old the food is and any dietary restrictions. Like pre-packaged foods, homemade goods should also be sealed to prevent leakage.

How should I load a pantry?

Shut the pantry door securely, using a latch if it’s available, since many fridges are located outdoors. This will prevent weather and wildlife from tampering with the food.

Do not overstuff pantry shelves, including fridges. If a pantry is full, contact the pantry to let them know, since some pantries have extra storage. Then, take your items to another food access point.

Good Samaritan laws can prevent liability for illnesses caused by donated food. This can reassure people who are hesitant to get involved, but it is no reason to be lax.

“Community fridges are built on trust,” said Sarah McGonagle, a community outreach coordinator for the Food Trust. “Because of that, safety and dignity really matter.”

What are the most useful items to give?

The most common items from farmers’ markets are produce, which farmers may not be able to sell after. This brings raw, organic food to distro and pantry visitors but can pose storage and preparation challenges, as not everyone who gets food from a distro or pantry has access to a kitchen.

Meal preparation is helpful with fresh produce, which you can extend the life of by cooking and then storing in a pantry freezer.

“Packaging meals into single-serving containers makes it more accessible to seniors, unhoused individuals, and youth,” Korn said. “Consider donating ingredients to a full meal – rather than just pasta, include pasta sauce and cheese.”

When it comes to cooking, Bebashi COO Nafisah Houston emphasizes ingredient choice. Bebashi runs the Food First Pantry as part of its health and social services work, so the pantry prioritizes “simple, balanced meals” with high nutritional value, Houston said.

“When possible, meals that are lower in sodium and adaptable to a variety of dietary needs are most effective,” she said. “Clear labeling and thoughtful preparation help ensure meals can be safely shared across a diverse community.”

Every distro and pantry has its own rules and requests, which should be reviewed before any donation.

Rules are a starting point, but as you spend more time involved with a distro or pantry, you may start to notice what the community needs and wants. This has been the experience of Molly, an SPCF volunteer.

“I’ve gotten to know [my neighbors’] kids and spouses, preferences, and celebrated small wins and mourned great losses together,” she said. “It is an incredible way to meet your community and find out who is sharing your neighborhood.”

I can’t give food or money. How else can I get involved?

Check your fridge and pantry regularly for food you won’t have time to eat, and donate any unused food to a nearby pantry if you are moving or traveling.

According to Brice Edelstein, a South Philly Punks with Lunch volunteer, preparation can be an affordable option when some of the most effective ingredients are already with you.

“Buying items is good, but rescuing food and preparing food for a pantry are options, too,” said Edelstein. “Need to see [your] grandma? Bake cookies with [your] grandma and put those in a fridge, it’ll be cheaper than taking her out to lunch, and I can bet it’ll be much more meaningful to you both.”

Beyond food, volunteer work is vital across the food-sharing ecosystem.

If you own a car, driving excess food from businesses, farmers’ markets, or distros to fridges can be the difference between food getting eaten or thrown out. With Philly Food Rescue, any driver for the Share Food Program can choose when and where to move food from A to B to fit their own schedule.

Other groups, such as the Food Trust farmers markets, Mama-Tee Fridge, and South Philly FnB, base their calls for drivers on the time and place of distros or packing sessions. These groups and more have set times for volunteers to help carry or sort food after it is delivered. TPK and South Philly FnB also offer group food preparation as a volunteer opportunity.

If your schedule is less flexible, you can inquire with a pantry near you about cleaning their fridge or shelves, which Molly does weekly. This involves removing expired food and cleaning mold or spills, which are preventable with consistent cleaning.

Spread the word

Once you know about the distros and pantries in your area, tell your neighbors about them. If you don’t see a certain distro or pantry on a food access map, let the admin know. This gets more people involved in the circular food economy, which prevents hunger and waste while connecting neighbors.

“Everyone knows someone who knows someone who wants to help,” McGonagle said.

Cover photo: Diego Llegas, a team lead at the Mama-Tee Fridge headquarters in Point Breeze, divides potatoes, apples, mandarins, lettuce, and bananas equally into six cardboard boxes on April 11, 2026. Filled by volunteers with food from Fresh Grocers and Harvest Hungry, each box will be driven to one of Mama-Tee’s fridges across the city. Photo by Fran-Claire Kenney