VIDEO: Kelowna Community Fridge working well in its new downtown location
So far so good.
When renovations at the Unitarians Church left the Kelowna Community Fridge homeless, the service was left scrambling for a new location.
But a solution came quickly when Lisa Burke from Burke Hair Lounge offered up a spot on Lawrence Avenue.
One month later, she has no regrets.
"I know it's the best home for it," said Burke. "It's so central, it's so easy, you can pull up in the back lane, drop, take, leave. It's covered. It's well-lit. "
Burke said the activity at the fridge hasn't hurt business one bit.
"It's actually been the opposite. It has been so positive," she said.
Ollie O'Neal from the Kelowna Community Fridge project said the location is a great fit.
"It's been beautiful," said O'Neal. "Lisa is so generous giving us this space and even participating and being a part of it. So far it's been working fantastically."
The fridge thrives thanks to generous volunteers like Maureen Wylie, who was dropping off some food this week.
"We do a food rescue," she explained, "from Starbucks on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays."
The expectations for people dropping off food are posted at the location.
O'Neal said it's really a better location than the Unitarians Church.
"It's a bit more accessible. It's a bit more obvious. There's a few more people that drive or walk by and are like 'oh, we have a community fridge in Kelowna?'"
The welcome at the new location has been heartwarming for the people working to keep the fridge project on the go.
"It's very possible to have a 'not in my backyard I don't want that around my business' attitude," said the Community Fridge program spokesperson.
"But Lisa has not at all been like that obviously."
The biggest challenge is getting enough food to keep it stocked.
"We can get it all completely stocked and within an hour, easy, it's all gone," said O'Neal.
So they are always looking for new partners.
"Whether it's coming from individuals or families, or businesses it's a fantastic way to share and we could always use more.
The fridge is open 24 hours a day for anyone wanting to either pick up or donate food.
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