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Resident proposes community fridge to expand access to food in Hills
Summary
Resident Steph Dunkin proposed placing a community fridge on city property (Fire Station or park) to supplement the weekly food pantry; she cited funding as the main hurdle and suggested volunteer oversight and single-serve items.
Resident Steph Dunkin told the council she is exploring a community fridge—a publicly accessible, volunteer-managed refrigerator stocked with donated pre-packaged food and hygiene items—to expand access outside the food pantry’s Wednesday hours. She pointed to an Iowa City community fridge as a model and said funding was the primary barrier to getting one started.
Dunkin suggested locating the fridge on city property such as the Hills Fire Station or Hills City Park and emphasized the need for volunteers to check expiration dates and keep the unit clean. "Their hardest part of getting it going was the funding," she said. She recommended stocking pre-packaged single items such as sandwiches, yogurts and chips for easy, safe pickup.
Mayor Kemp raised food-safety liability concerns; Dunkin responded that volunteers would manage sign-ups and monitor items. Council Member Hudachek said she thought it could benefit the community and supported exploring the need and logistics. Council members agreed to remain in contact with Dunkin as next steps are evaluated.
What’s next: Council will follow up with the resident to assess need, funding options and volunteer support before any decision to place a community fridge on city property.
