Opening Doors to Food Access: ICC Celebrates New Community Refrigerator

On June 10, 2026, the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) was proud to present a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating its Community Refrigerator and Hunger Relief Project, made possible through the generous support of the Devils Youth Foundation. This initiative directly addresses food insecurity and the daily challenges faced by residents in our community. The community refrigerator has been operational for several months, providing free, accessible, nutritious food to residents. The ceremony offered an opportunity to formally recognize the initiative’s impact and the partnerships that made it possible.

The Community Refrigerator was established to combat food insecurity in Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood – designated by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) as a Food Desert Community (FDC) – by expanding access to healthy food while promoting dignity, mutual aid, and neighborhood support. Located at ICC’s Family Success Center at 29 Cortland Street, the refrigerator is stocked with donated food sourced primarily through ICC’s partnership with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. It complements the organization’s broader food security efforts, including its food pantry, food distribution program in partnership with Table to Table, and agricultural initiatives at its Down Bottom Farm.

We are thankful for the incredibly thoughtful remarks shared by: Kate Whitman Annis, Executive Director, Devils Youth Foundation;  Municipal Council President C. Lawrence Crump;  East Ward Councilman Michael Silva; Councilwoman at-Large Louise Rountree; and community member Murad Majied, who expressed how this resource allows him to retrieve much-needed food for his neighbors. The Community Refrigerator and Hunger Relief Project has been made possible through the generous support of the Devils Youth Foundation.