Copyright Boston.com
A playfully named community fridge — inspired by Boston native Jennifer Coolidge — is helping Brookline residents put food on the table. When a Brookline community fridge reopened this summer, it wasn’t just the the handprints of local kids that made it stand out — it was the name. Meet Jennifer Coolfridge, a community fridge in Brookline inspired by the Norwell native and Emmy-winning actress Jennifer Coolidge. Since reopening in July, the fridge has become a lifeline especially for those impacted by the SNAP payment freeze. “We’ve just been super overwhelmed and we jumped right on it when we knew that the EBT SNAP freeze was coming,” said Zahriyannah Mohammadi Karakashian Jones, who runs Brookline For the Culture, one of the groups that powers the site. “So we wanted to ramp up our efforts to fully stock the fridge.” A neighborhood effort Originally opened in 2021, Jennifer Coolfridge is stocked once per week with the help of community partners — including Brookline For the Culture, Brookline Muslim Friends, and Bowls4Boston. Brothers and Sisters Cafe provides it with electricity, and Jamie’s Ice Cream helps keep the shelves full. Brookline residents through a number of organizations, local businesses and volunteers donating their time and money. Next to the fridge is a pantry where non-perishable items are kept. To accommodate dietary restrictions in the community, the fridge doesn’t accept pork or nuts. “It’s a really great initiative, a really nice way to get involved in the community,” Karakashian Jones said. What’s behind the name The fridge is a playful nod to Jennifer Coolidge’s Emerson College commencement speech. “We thought it would be a nice little play on her name to name the community fridge after her,” Karakashian Jones said. She hopes that one day Coolidge will take notice of her namesake and draw attention to its efforts. Boston.com reached out to Coolidge but didn’t hear back in time for publication. How to get involved Residents who are interested in volunteering can sign up online. The group also runs a grocery subsidy program, providing $150 gift cards to eligible Brookline residents and is currently accepting cash donations. “We’re just trying to do our best to make sure that people feel supported in this moment,” Karakashian Jones said.
