RIDGID, a part of Emerson’s professional tools portfolio, and its employees donated more than 400 food and personal care items, including vegetables, canned goods, box meals, pasta, and soup to Elyria’s Pioneer Freedge as part of a donation drive sponsored by Mosaic, an Emerson employee resource group focused on serving the community, celebrating diversity and creating an inclusive work environment for people working away from their home location.

The Freedge, located at the Elyria Public Library South Branch, is a place where people can leave surplus food items for others to take, reducing food waste and promoting community connections. It operates on the principle of “take what you need, leave what you can.”

“RIDGID is proud to be able to make a donation to the Freedge thanks to the generosity of our employees,” said Billy Yrad, industrial designer, RIDGID, and coordinator, Mosaic for Emerson. “One of the goals of Mosaic is to participate in activities that bring us together as a community and helping to fill the communal refrigerator is a wonderful way for us to connect and have a positive impact with our Elyria neighbors.”

The donation is the latest Mosaic-led supply drive for community benefit. The group last collected school supplies to provide Elyria school students with needed supplies to kick-off the new school year. The group has also participated in several community service activities with Leaders of Today, a local organization helping the youth of Lorain County