Meet Brendan

Written By Harrison Tillinghast

Nestled at the top of a hill in Washington Heights is Fort Fridge, established by Fort Washington Church on March 28th, 2021. Its message, boldly displayed in English and Spanish, “Food is a Human Right”, resonates deeply with the surrounding community. I had the opportunity to speak with Brendan Testa, the secretary and coordinator for Fort Fridge, to learn more about its role and future in the community.

Brendan joined Fort Fridge in November of 2021 and, like many new volunteers, was just looking for something good to do. “I needed something to do on Saturdays, and a reason to get out of bed,” he says. However, his decision would later transform into a deeper mission to serve the community. “Today, I focus on reaching out to volunteers to bring food, helping coordinate volunteers, and most importantly getting as much food in the fridge as possible,” he says. Brendan, living only a block from Fort Fridge, has been able to see its impact on the community and what it needs to thrive in the future.

Fort Fridge’s most active days are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, when large deliveries of food come in. However, the fridge is always emptied quickly after the deliveries. “It would take an entire city agency to keep the fridge full at all times,” says Brendan. Right now, the Fort Fridge administration is looking to get more baking supplies, such as flour and eggs in the fridge. Despite the high demand for food and the small supply in the fridge, Brendan finds that most of the people using the fridge are very kind to each other. “When you're hungry and desperate for another meal for your family, it's astonishing how patient and compassionate people can be in line,” Brendan states. 

Today, Fort Fridge operates with the help of 9 Million Reasons, Westside Campaign Against Hunger, Grassroots Grocery, and the generous support of volunteers who contribute their time and food. To strengthen the impact of the fridge on the community, Brendan and other fridge supporters are looking for ways to improve the operation. “We need more people who can reach out to more pantries, restaurants, and schools that have leftover food.” The fridge would also benefit by having a leader who can devote more time to initiating conversations and creating new partnerships.

Brendan and the Fort Fridge administration is deeply grateful for the community's tireless support. "It constantly surprises us to see individuals stepping up and delivering their own food," he shares with gratitude.

Fort Fridge is located at 181st Street & Fort Washington Avenue. You can sign up to help and volunteer at https://linktr.ee/fortfridge. Together, we can nourish our community by joining the fight against food insecurity.