Penn Hills Library Community Fridge – Penn Hills Library

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Penn Hills Library Community Fridge

Say "Hello!" to the Penn Hills Library Community Fridge!

Announcements

Limited Milk & Eggs at Community Fridge

Due to a lack of federal and state funding, we will see a decrease in the amount of milk and eggs we can provide at our Community Fridge restocks starting in mid-November. Thank you so much for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions, you can call us at 412-775-4700.

Turkey Distribution

We will be distributing free turkeys as part of our Community Fridge restock on Friday, November 21st at 11am! The turkeys will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. If you would like to donate any unopened and unexpired food to the Community Fridge, we would greatly appreciate it.

Holiday Fridge Schedule

There will NOT be a Community Fridge restock on the following days due to the holiday season.

  • Wednesday, November 26th
  • Friday, November 28th
  • Wednesday, December 24th
  • Friday, December 26th
  • Wednesday, December 31st
  • Friday, January 2nd

Restock Schedule

Wednesdays - 5:00 PM

Fridays - 11:00AM

Donations & Volunteering

If you would like to donate to the Community Fridge, here are the best ways to do so:

  • Any shelf-stable canned goods and pantry staples are always great items to donate.
  • Please refrain from donating any items that are open or homemade.
  • If you would like to make a monetary donation to the Community Fridge, you can write a check or donate online. Be sure to indicate on the check or in the comments of your online donation that you intend for it to be used toward the Fridge.

We are always looking for volunteers to assist with our Community Fridge. If you are interested in volunteering with us, just call the library at 412-775-4700, or email us at phlibrary@pennhillslibrary.org.

Thank you for your generosity and support!

About the Community Fridge

The Penn Hills Library Community Fridge is an ongoing library resource available to our patrons. We keep our fridge and freezer stocked with fresh veggies, meal kits, milk and dairy products, juice, and so much more. On our pantry shelves you'll be able to find anything from canned goods, snacks, and breakfast items to pads, tampons, and diapers!

We are partnering with local organizations including the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Aldi, SHEETZ, Dollar General, 412 Food Rescue, the Good Food Project, Grow Pittsburgh, and Panera Bread!

In addition, we now have a Community Fridge book shelf with a variety of titles about mutual aid, food justice, and much more! These books are located on our lower level next to our Local Authors section. Feel free to check out any of these books at any time!

Thanks to the help of our community partners, we are always adding new items to the shelves. Our main restock days are listed below.

Data Collection & Policy Changes

As of March 2024, we are making some changes to our process in order to comply with our suppliers at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

What is changing and why?

  • In order to receive certain items for our restocks, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank now requires its partner organizations to collect data from the community members they serve.
  • All non-produce items that we receive from the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank for free (such as milk and eggs) are funded by the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA). LFPA required that the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank submit demographic data to prove that the grant has a positive impact on the community.
  • Previously, we were not required to collect data because the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank had waived these requirements to lower barriers to new partner agencies at the start of the pandemic. They recently started requiring data collection again.

What if I don't want to share my data?

  • Providing any personal information is COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. You are not required to fill out any information sheets or check in with staff in order to get food.
  • If you do not wish to fill out an information sheet, let a library staff member know and we can mark you as an "anonymous attendee" to the Community Fridge.
  • We will only distribute information sheets during our restocks. As always, you may access the Community Fridge any time during library operating hours. Anyone who visits our Community Fridge outside of the restock times will not be asked to fill out an information sheet.
  • If you choose to fill out only parts of the information sheet, each section includes an "undisclosed" option.

Where does my data go?

  • The data on the information sheets will ONLY be used to create your digital Link2Feed profile which we will use to check you in at all Community Fridge restocks that you attend.
  • All data the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank reports to LFPA is 100% aggregated and anonymous. They do not share individual profiles, nor do they share any information publicly. All data collected by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is storied on an encrypted server with limited access. Only library staff members who check you in for restocks have access to our Link2Feed page.

What will this new system look like?

  • You will receive an information sheet to fill out. You can take this home and fill it out at your convenience.
  • If you do choose to fill out an information sheet, you only need to do so once.