Zachary Karr was living on 20th Street in North Little Rock when he looked out of his kitchen window one night in 2020 and was bothered by what he saw.
"There were a lot of unhoused individuals walking around the neighborhood at night," he said last week. "That gave me an idea to see what I could do to help."
Karr had a spare refrigerator that he wasn't using, so he stocked it and placed it in his yard for people who needed some food. He sought donations of food and used his own food stamps to keep the refrigerator filled. He publicized his efforts on social media, recruited volunteers and eventually founded the nonprofit Arkansas Community Advocates.
The 27-year-old Karr, who is originally from Gurdon, now lives in a gray house at 209 SA Jones Drive in North Little Rock and the purple refrigerator, with the group's tent logo painted on it, sits on his front porch. "Community Fridge" is written on plywood boards leaning against the porch.
A sign on the refrigerator reads:
"The purpose of the Arkansas Community Advocates' Community Fridge is to help folks through a tough spot. Our hope and goal are that the food here will provide an emergency meal or two for multiple people and families ... . Take what you need, leave what you can."
Karr was on the porch last Wednesday morning.
"I've lived in poverty my whole life," he said. "I understand when you're struggling to meet basic expenses and taking care of your family. But no matter how little you have there's always the possibility of working together to make a bigger impact."
The fridge is open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily and is used by about 50 people a week, he said.
"I try to talk with them and learn about their stories and what they're going through."
There were only a few packages of jicama sticks on the fridge's shelves when I visited, but the freezer held more than a dozen breakfast sandwiches from Starbucks. A box filled with rolls sat nearby and a microwave for warming up food was on top of the fridge.
Most donations come from Potluck Food Rescue in North Little Rock and from neighbors, Karr said.
"People are welcome to come anytime to drop off things," he added.
Arkansas Community Advocates also works with the North Little Rock Hunger Force and the Central Arkansas Harm Reduction Project. On Tuesday evenings the group delivers food to the unsheltered and holds a food giveaway Wednesdays from 9-10 a.m. at the Pike Plaza Shopping Center, 2619 Pike Ave., in North Little Rock.
Karr says he has two more refrigerators that could be used in other neighborhoods if someone is interested in hosting a community fridge. Find out more at the Arkansas Community Advocates Facebook and Instagram pages.
Email: sclancy@adgnewsroom.com