Bend Community Fridge aims to fight food insecurity and food waste one fridge at a time Amid rising food insecurity due to the pandemic, one grassroots effort has gained momentum: free food refrigerators, or "freedges." In public spaces from New York to Los Angeles to Portland, these community fridges have sprung up, and soon Bend will join the club. "We're helping fight food waste along with food insecurity," explained Carolyn Abernethy, 22, who launched the Bend Community Fridge project in January. The fridges, which function much like a tiny free library, are run by the motto, "Take what you need, give what you can."