Neighbors Helping Neighbors: The Impact of Grassroots Grocery
This month, we’re excited to shine a light on Grassroots Grocery, a nonprofit about neighbors helping neighbors. Founded with a simple but powerful idea—that food is more than just sustenance, it’s community—Grassroots Grocery is on a mission to provide dignified food access to families who need it most. But here’s the twist: they aren’t just another food pantry. Instead of making people come to them, Grassroots Grocery takes food directly to the people, breaking down the barriers of transportation, stigma, and inconvenience that often keep folks from getting the help they need.
Every Saturday, a dedicated team of volunteers swoops into the Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx, rescuing over 10,000 pounds of fresh produce. From there, this nutritious haul reaches over 1,100 families across the city, landing on doorsteps, in community fridges, or hanging on a doorknob for someone who can’t leave home. It’s an act of kindness that ripples through communities, all powered by people who want to help their neighbors thrive.
One of the most heartwarming aspects of Grassroots Grocery is their community fridges. Imagine a refrigerator on your block where anyone can take what they need, no questions asked. The magic happens when everyone pitches in: one neighbor donates a loaf of bread, another adds some apples, and soon, that fridge is full of love and nourishment. These small acts of kindness are the building blocks of more robust, healthier communities.
Dan Zauderer, a former middle school teacher in the South Bronx, is the driving force behind all of this. His journey into food activism started when he saw a student’s grandmother digging through the trash for food. That moment sparked a movement, and what began as a single community fridge in Mott Haven has grown into over 31 community-led food distribution sites. Today, Grassroots Grocery reaches more than 1,400 families every Saturday, all thanks to the work of over 6,000 volunteers and people like you.
There’s something incredibly inspiring about how this nonprofit operates—it’s about neighbors stepping up for each other, and it reminds us that the best change happens right where we live. Whether delivering produce, stocking a community fridge, or simply spreading the word, every little bit helps ensure no one goes hungry.
You can join the movement by volunteering, donating, or even starting a fridge in your community. It’s a grassroots effort in the truest sense of the word, and together, we can make a huge difference.
