Chattanooga Community Fridge | Viridiana Marin

Chattanooga Community Fridge, the brainchild of Viridiana Marin, is up and running in Highland Park. Having previously worked at the Family Crisis Center as a bilingual advocate/fundraising coordinator, Viridiana has always been passionate about serving the community. With this first fridge already donated, our $915 was used for the materials needed to build the shelter around the fridge that will help protect it against the weather, sanitizing and cleaning materials, a security camera (to keep it safe), electricity, and fresh produce to jumpstart the project.

Neighborhood partners like La Paz and Gaining Ground Grocery, who also hosts the fridge, will ensure the fridge is on the radar of the community so fresh produce gets into the homes of those that might need it. Not only does it help those with food insecurity but it helps eliminate food waste in our community. Do you know the perfect location to have a community fridge to serve your neighborhood? We would be happy to put you in touch with Viridiana, just holla!

Gaining Ground Grocery | Holly Martin

A grocery store in Highland Park? Yep. Holly Martin recently started the Chattanooga Sustainable Food Center, a non-profit which focuses on food access, education, and engagement in regional agriculture. Holly recently secured a location within the St. Andrew's Center in Highland Park for the operations of Gaining Ground Grocery to begin. A small, local food-focused grocery store, Gaining Ground will act like a brick and mortar farmers market, with extended hours and nutrition incentives for low income customers.

The two priorities of the grocery will be focused on working with local growers and making the food at the store affordable for the surrounding community. Gaining Ground will provide an outlet for fresh produce in a food desert where options for healthy food are very limited. The grocery space is walkable to Highland Park Commons, close to CARTA bus lines, includes a small parking lot, and features a handicap accessible ramp. Its intent is to be inclusive and welcoming to anyone that chooses to shop there. It will also intend to be guided by community input for featured products. You can take part in that feedback here.

Movie Nights | Highland Park Neighborhood Association

Highland Park Neighborhood Association hosts Movie Nights in Tatum Park all summer long. This year they are partnering with “Dialogues Chattanooga”, a local independent documentary project, made for lifting up community conversation about important topics for our city’s future. Dialogues producer Robert Ashton Winslow will screen at Movie Night on August 19th and together they will invite Highland Park residents to host additional “living room” screenings with friends and neighbors utilizing the documentary content to share stories, questions, and ideas. The end result? Neighbors of all walks of life coming together to build progress in their community.

Support from The UNFoundation included the donation of a commercial popcorn maker with supplies (from one of our trustees) and $500 to market the events and provide necessities like snacks,  and a place to pee.