Artist Spotlight

“Fall Reflection” on canvas PHOTOS COURTESY OF JESSIE GUTIERREZ

Jessie Gutierrez

Jessie Gutierrez says that while art is not her primary profession, "it is a process that fills me with joy and brings light and beauty to what have been some dark days in the world recently." She says she had always been a photographer, noting that over the past several years she has focused her "free" time — such as it is, as "a mom of two young kids, with a full-time job" — on transforming the photographs she has taken over the years into prints on wood and canvas. "Once the image is transferred," she says, "I use my imagination and memories of the location or object in the photo to enhance it, layering on many different mediums using a variety of techniques from painting to drawing and collage."

“Pink Flowers” on raw wood round

CITY LIVING

I challenge you to visit Worcester’s Community Fridge

Sarah Connell Sanders

Special to Worcester Magazine USA TODAY NETWORK

Fantastic Pizza cut me a 30% discount on three Italian grinders for the Worcester Community Fridge at 910 Main St., no questions asked.

“How does this work?” I asked the guy behind the counter. “Do I just leave them in there?”

“Yup. It’s that easy,” he told me.

I watched my dog’s eyes widen as I pulled open the fridge handle to reveal a sparkling display of fresh produce, sealed deli meat and gallons of milk. We placed the three sandwiches on a clear shelf and trudged away through the snow.

My pup stopped for a good sniff and I turned back toward the fridge to see a man browsing its contents. He picked up one of the sandwiches and tucked it into his backpack. Elation shot through me, warming the tips of my frosty fingers and toes.

My reaction wasn’t unusual. The journal of Psychological Science recently published a finding that giving correlates directly with happiness; moreover, the joy experienced after five days of giving remains just as strong as it is on the first day.

Worcester Community Fridge organizer, Maria Ravelli understands.

“I’ll spend a couple hours cleaning and unloading stuff and I find it really powerful to see people actually accessing the fridge,” she told me. “I’ll sit in my car like a creep and watch because it’s just super cool and satisfying to see our vision become a reality.”

Ravelli’s enthusiasm for feeding Worcester hit its peak during the pandemic. “I thoroughly believe that food is a basic human right and that food injustice and environmental injustice go hand in hand,” she explained, “The amount of food that gets sent to landfill annually while there are hungry people who are not able to access fresh food, is definitely an act of violence.”

In January, Ravelli floated the idea of a community fridge on the Mutual Aid Worcester Facebook group. Within a month, her food rescue mission was well on its way. “We just organized our little hearts out,“ she said, “rescuing food that was going to go to waste and then putting it in the hands of individuals who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to eat.”

The Worcester Community Fridge hasn’t been without its challenges, mostly operational. “People are used to being over-regulated,” Ravelli explained. “The concept of a free food exchange is confusing for some people even though, at its heart, it’s very simple.” During the first week, she unearthed miscellaneous Ziplocs of raw meat and a tray of expired yogurts. “We’ve had to educate people that the fridge is for food you would consume, too; it’s not a place for your leftovers,” she said. “We believe that quality food is a human, right, not just food you’re trying to get rid of to feel good about yourself.”

Guidelines are laid out clearly on the organization’s website, barring moldy, expired and homemade food along with raw meat. Volunteers clean the fridge and rotate items twice per day to keep donations in accordance.

Ravelli’s favorite memory as a volunteer came when she had just finished unloading donated food into the fridge. “I was doing that thing where I was sitting in my car, just watching,” she recalled, “And there was this man who looked like he was in distress — his body language was kind of off and he was speaking to himself.”

Ravelli got out of her car to introduce herself and offer assistance.

“I just heard him praying out loud. When he finished, I asked how he was doing and explained he could have anything in the fridge,” remembered Ravelli. “He looked at me and said, ‘This is the craziest thing, because this morning I was praying that I would be able to find food. Now, I’m walking down my street and there’s a literal F-R-E-E fridge.’” Ravelli found the moment equally beautiful, spiritual and hilarious.

The next step for the Worcester Community Fridge is to build a definitive culture. “Calling all graphic designers and videographers,” says Ravelli. “Art is a humongous part of culture-building.”

The group’s second fridge is set to go online at 44 Portland St. this week featuring the designs of 12-year-old Worcester artist, Montage by Brook. Follow @woofridge on Instagram for updates and tag them on your visit to help amplify their mission. Hunger is a problem Worcester has the power to solve, and we’ll do it together.

Visit the Worcester Community Fridges at 910 Main Street and 44 Portland Street this week to show your support. SARAH CONNELL SANDERS