Since January 2022, the Open Collective Foundation has served as the fiscal sponsor for Worcester Community Fridges. Fiscal sponsors are 501(c)(3) organizations (non-profits) that provide administrative and financial management support to projects that align with their mission. Their platform enabled us to accept tax-deductible donations, transparently raise and spend funds, as well as share annual updates about fridge work. 

As of February 2024, we receive roughly $895 in monthly donations and have raised over $80,000 in total funds that go towards food supplies, equipment (like new fridges), as well as program supplies and materials to support outreach and community engagement. We are incredibly grateful for the 272 contributors who have supported the fridges on Open Collective, including 47 monthly donors. This community is beautiful and we are humbled by all the ways Worcester neighbors invest in each other through the fridges.

At the end of February, Open Collective Foundation announced that they will be dissolving at the end of the year. Their dissolution left over 600 Collectives, including multiple mutual aid efforts like Woo Fridge, with only a couple of weeks to continue accepting donations and a few months to identify a transition plan. This means that, as of March 15th, 2024, our Open Collective donations platform will be shut down and we cannot accept new or recurring monetary donations to our Open Collective account.

This week, neighbors who organize Worcester Community Fridges decided to transition our fiscal sponsorship to Hack Club. Hack Club was founded in 2018 to support a global network of high school coding clubs, makers, and hackathons. Over time, Hack Club expanded access to its financial management software for other U.S.-based projects focused on social good. Like Open Collective, Hack Club allows us to transparently receive and spend funds while requiring a similar administrative fee (7% of contributions). Hack Club also provides sponsored projects with a few additional services that will make it easier for us to accept check contributions and purchase supplies.

In the upcoming weeks, we will be working to transfer our remaining funds (~$38,000). We would be honored for your continued support of the fridges beginning in April 2024. To contribute one-time or monthly donations, please use our new donations page.