Savannah community fridge on Waters Avenue is stocked by neighbors — and everything is free

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - On Waters Avenue, a simple outdoor fridge is doing something remarkable: feeding Savannah neighbors, powered entirely by the kindness of strangers.

There’s no payment, no sign-up, and no questions asked. The only “catch” is that every item inside has been donated — not by a company or the government, but by community members across the Hostess City.

Good Fortune Market owner Becca Goossen helped make the fridge a reality and can often be found stocking it herself — loading it with items like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

“Our motto is ‘Good Food, Good Folks, Good Fortune Market’ — this really just fits easily into both of those categories," Goossen said.

The community fridge is part of Savannah’s growing effort to curb food insecurity by making free food available where people can access it quickly and with dignity.

Goossen says she first saw similar free-food fridges while living in New Orleans. Back in Savannah, she found others ready to help bring the idea to life.

Peter Van Brussel, an organizer with the Savannah Urbanist Society, says he’s personally added items to the fridge — the same kinds of things he’d keep in his own kitchen.

“Just things I would eat myself. Just kinda things to share with the community,” Brussel said.

When asked whether those items were still there, Brussel said they were gone — not wasted, but taken by people who needed them.

“Nope! People have been coming by pretty frequently to take what they need.”

One concern with any free community pantry is whether someone might take more than they need. Van Brussel says that hasn’t been the case.

“100% of the cases we’ve seen is that people are very cognizant of how their taking could impact another person,” Brussel said.

Goossen says this isn’t the first effort she and Good Fortune Market have taken on to support people in need — but the fridge is different because it relies completely on neighbors helping neighbors.

“Part of this project has reinvigorated my faith in humanity… Savannah really shows up for each other… Savannah IS a great city to live in,“ Goossen said.

If you have food at home you won’t get to, organizers say this is a better option than throwing it away.

The idea is simple: bring what you can to the community fridge on Waters Avenue — and let it land in the hands of someone who needs it.