Two weeks after it was ordered to close temporarily on July 10, The People's Fridge has been authorized to reopen.
The food pantry has catered to a broad cross-section of the community as a resource at the Pan-African Connection (PAC) in the Glendale Shopping Center in Oak Cliff.
The Dallas Code Compliance office, the Office of Homeless Solutions, and the city manager engaged in discussions with PAC to find more permanent solutions to homelessness in the area.
According to a memorandum from the City of Dallas, “...the concerns Code Compliance addressed was a table with food consisting of fresh produce and a variety of other perishable items and a refrigerator being used as a community pantry outside in front of the business in over 100-degree weather. The concern was whether it was safe and allowable per the business's Certificate of Occupancy (CO).”
At the time of the inspection, no violations were issued to the Pan-African Connection. After a series of meetings with city officials, the pantry is slated to resume operations on Saturday, July 29.
But the fridge returns with a revised set of regulations.
To enhance food safety, the pantry will no longer accept cooked food donations, which previously included contributions from local restaurants. The regulations also stipulate that only uncut produce may be donated.
The move seeks to ensure the quality and safety of the food offered to those in need. Unopened, nonperishable goods are still accepted.
Despite the changes, the pantry will operate 24 hours a day.
Akwete Tyehimba, the CEO and owner of Pan-African Connection, said that after a meeting with Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax, code compliance and the Office of Homeless Solutions, the goal is to find together more permanent solutions to assist those affected by homelessness in the Glendale Shopping Center area.
“The food table is a temporary solution to what is a larger issue that needs to be solved,” Tyehimba said.
The Pan-African Connection’s social media announcement of the reopening garnered hundreds of likes within an hour of posting.
Got a tip? Email Brittany Stubblefield-Engram at bstubblefield-engram@kera.org. You can follow Brittany on Twitter @thebritofdallas.
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