Residents Rally For Communal Fridge In Cape Coral

IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. OVER 150,000 PEOPLE FACE FOOD, INSECURITY, ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW'S HOUSE, THAT IMPACTS ABOUT ONE IN 8 ADULTS AND ONE IN 6 CHILDREN TO COMBAT THIS ISSUE. THE CAPE CORAL COMMUNITY FRIDGE PROVIDES FREE FOOD FOR NEIGHBORS IN NEED. BUT EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE GROUP WAS TOLD BY THE CITY THAT IT FACED CODE VIOLATIONS WGCU’S GIULIANA LOPES SHARES HOW ORGANIZERS ARE NOW WORKING WITH THE CITY TO FIND A PERMANENT SOLUTION. >> SO ABOUT 6 YEARS AGO, I SAW THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LOSING THEIR JOBS AND THINGS LIKE GOTTEN A LITTLE TAP. I STARTED THE COMMUNITY FRIDGE THAT PEOPLE CAN STOP AND TOP EITHER SOMETHING OFF. PICK SOMETHING UP OR, YOU KNOW, JUST PICK SOMETHING UP THAT THEY NEED IT. >> FOUNDER DION LOPEZ STARTED THE CAPE CORAL COMMUNITY FRIDGE AS A WAY TO HELP NEIGHBORS GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES FOR YEARS, THE FRIDGE OPERATED IN SIMPLE FASHION. TAKE WHAT YOU NEED, LEAVE WHAT YOU CAN. IN MARCH, LOPEZ SAYS SHE FOUND A CITY CODE VIOLATION NOTICE ON HER DOOR, GIVING HER 5 DAYS TO REMOVE THE REFRIGERATOR. THE NOTICE CAME AS A SURPRISE AS THE FRENCH HAVE BEEN OPERATING FOR OVER 5 YEARS WITH NO ISSUES. >> I MEAN THAT THERE WAS A LIE. LETTERS WRITTEN TO THE CITY. THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING, HEY, HOW CAN WE HELP? WHAT CAN WE DO? CAN WE GET SOMETHING BUILT AND SO, YEAH, I MEAN, THERE WERE SERIOUS. >> THE SUPPORT EXTENDED BEYOND LETTERS WITH PRESIDENT ATTENDING THE CAPE CORAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN MARCH TO SPEAK UP ON THE ISSUE. IT WAS VERY HEARTWARMING JUST TO KNOW THAT THERE. I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE CAUSE. >> I SEE PEOPLE TRICKLING IN AND OUT EVERY DAY I SEE DIFFERENT FACES. BUT AT NIGHT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME THAT I DON'T GET TO MEET THAT. I DON'T GET TO SEE AND THAT ARE HELPING THAT I AM HELPING THEM AND THE PHONE CAUSE THEY JUST DON'T STOP. HEY, THANKS FOR YOU. THANK YOU. SO IT'S VERY TOUCHING THE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SUCH A SUCH A SMALL THING OUTSIDE AND IT'S JUST TO ME THAT IT'S HELPING SO MANY PEOPLE. >> A PERMIT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO BUILD A PERMANENT STRUCTURE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE COMMUNITY FRIDGE TO REMAIN OUTSIDE AND ACCESSIBLE. 24 HOURS A DAY. >> WE MET WITH THE CITY. THEY MARKED UP THE SOUTH THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED AND WE'RE GOT IT BACK TO THE BLUEPRINT GUY AND HE'S WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW TO GET IT STAMPED AND AFTER THAT GETS PUT IN, THEN HOPEFULLY YOU WILL BE BUILDING. >> ALL THE PERMITTING PROCESS MOVES FORWARD THE CAPE CORAL COMMUNITY FRIDGE REMAINS OPEN. IT CONTINUES TO ACCEPTING DONATIONS TO SERVING PRISON. MEEK. FOR WGCU NEWS, I'M GIULIANA LOPES. >> ON OUR NEXT PROGRAM,