KENDALL, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A federal grant is aiming to reduce food waste and hunger in rural Whatcom County.

The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded over $27,000 to Whatcom County Health and Community Services and their partners to build and operate a community fridge in Kendall. The community fridge, or “freedge,” provides free nutritious food from local restaurants, farms and businesses. Their goal is to prevent excess food from going to the landfill.

Sustainable Connections currently operates a freedge at the RE Store in Bellingham and supports the freedge at the Upper Skagit Library in Concrete.

Kendall’s freedge will be built at the North Fork Library. County Health and Community Services reports that food insecurity in the Kendall area has spiked over the past five years, indicating high levels of food insecurity. The freedge, once constructed, will be available to anyone and will be restocked several times a week by Sustainable Connections volunteers.

To learn more about the program, including how to volunteer or donate food, visit sustainableconnections.org/freedge.