This story is part of a group of stories called
Sitting on the sidewalk near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Plaza Street, the colorful Coconut Grove community fridge is impossible to miss. When I arrive at the location with volunteer Lily Winter, the first thing I notice is the writing inscribed on top of the fridge’s painted design of lush foliage. It reads, in swirling calligraphy: “Life Is Better Shared.”
This fridge is part of the Miami Community Fridge network. In August 2020, the grassroots organization Buddy System MIA began placing refrigerators filled with fresh food across Miami-Dade County. Anyone can access these fridges for free, and the organization’s unofficial motto is “take what you need, leave what you can.”