The Knox County Health Department is excited to announce a new community resource, the Sam Duff Community Fridge, funded through a contract with the state of Tennessee Project Diabetes grant. The fridge will be a space where the community will have increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables 24/7. The fridge is located in Sam Duff Memorial Park, 4060 Chapman Hwy.
Key partners include Knoxville Parks and Recreation, Knox Pride and the South Woodlawn Neighborhood Association.
Through this community fridge, KCHD’s Healthy Weight Program hopes to increase access to fruits and vegetables in the community and promote healthier eating patterns that can prevent diet-related chronic diseases, like type 2 diabetes. This project not only increases access to fresh fruits and vegetables for all, but it also helps reduce household food waste and food insecurity by offering a space where community members can donate excess household produce.
According to the 2019 Community Health Assessment, 17.3% of children were food-insecure, meaning that they lack consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle. In addition, over 6.5% of adults in Knox County are stressed about not having enough money for nutritious food.
“We want to encourage anyone who is interested to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables from the community fridge,” said Kinsey Simmerman, public health educator at KCHD. “We are excited for the opportunity to increase access to healthy foods for everyone in the community and look forward to announcing more community fridges in the future.”
Community members interested in donating to the Sam Duff Community Fridge should follow these guidelines:
- No alcohol
- No meat, dairy, frozen or expired food products
- Label food with the date
- No prepared or home cooked meals
- Only put in what you would take out
For additional questions about the Sam Duff Community Fridge, email nutrition@Knoxcounty.org or call 865-215-5170.
Kelsey Wilson is division director of communications for the Knox County Health Department.