The story of how we got started on Free-Go
Free-Go is a network of self-service refrigerators created to combat food waste and enhance social connections. Launched in 2022, this operation is presented under Éco-Citoyen, a recognized public utility association in Geneva.
But before that, our story began a little earlier... Strap in.
to November 2021
❤️ After encountering difficulties in finding a home for our first community refrigerator, we met Nicolas De Turckheim and Loleh, from the Relais Sevriens (a solidarity grocery store). They accepted the challenge with us of installing the fridge.
“We call this first refrigerator the 'Frigollectif.' We believe that the term 'solidaire' [solidarity] is somewhat isolated. Today, solidarity is something collective: young students, mothers or fathers, isolated individuals, retirees, and those experiencing homelessness. Precarity is disguised and often closer than we think. 'Solidaire' highlights the people who give, while 'collectif' encompasses all the people who contribute to the fridge, whether by giving or taking.
Maxime, Founder and CEO of Prism
we gain strategic visibility 🎉
"After this accomplishment, two lessons were learned. The first lesson is that there are 8.93 million applications available, just waiting to be downloaded. The second lesson is that, despite the abundance of applications, our emails, marketing efforts, or any tools designed to facilitate better mutual understanding, representation, and collaboration bring forth a fresh set of challenges that consistently underscore the importance of closeness, truth, and authenticity in our interactions. This highlights our need to learn and become more aware of our relationships in communication rather thank just doing marketing."
💡 Conclusion: The first Prism emerged through the refrigerator.
Maxime, Founder and CEO of Prism
This is how Maxime met Rémi, the General Secretary at Éco-Citoyen in Geneva. Rémi wanted to establish a network of community fridges in the Canton. After receiving an initial grant from the city, Maxime was hired, and together with Maria on internships, they embarked to work on deploying these fridges as
Free-Go ♻️.
This team wouldn't be complete without William and Larry, who later joined the team to handle food collections from grocery stores in the city. 💪🏻
David and his cat Marechal at the Grand Atelier de la MACO in Geneva.
David is capable of going on a 5-hour hike in flip-flops and fixing just about anything. He will be using wood scraps and recycled materials to help us build all of the upcoming installations.
(we all need a David in our lives)
Maxime went to Walter's office. He didn't remember how he ended up there, but he found himself standing in front of Walter. Walter asked if he was lost, and perhaps he was. However, as soon as Maxime explained why he was there, Walter immediately offered him a chair and set the table, becoming a valuable supporter in the initiative's deployment.
July 2022
For various reasons, Rémi and Maxime decided to use the visibility of the first Free-Go launch to conduct a public crowdfunding campaign on SIG Impact. With Walter's help, Maxime met Sylvain Thevoz and Boris Golay, who agreed to install the first Free-Go at 📍 Maison de Quartier Le 99 in Charmilles, not far from Walter's restaurant
Clarisse Coeur lives up to her name because, with no prior experience in crowdfunding, Maria, Rémi, and Maxime, thanks to her vibrant energy, managed to raise 10,000 Swiss francs on SIG IMPACT to finance a future Free-Go. ♥️
We started this season in great shape. Thanks to the generous support from the public, we are excited to announce the establishment of our second installation at Maison des Associations, located near Plain-Palais in Geneva. This achievement has been made possible through a dynamic collaboration with Hervé Pichelin, alongside the dedicated efforts of Cécile, Soraya, and Victor from The Fork. This partnership has not only provided us with increased visibility but has also paved the way for us to secure a new grant from esteemed private foundations based in Geneva.
Le Château Bruyant in the Pâquis neighborhood and the other at the Center of Roserais in Geneva. The Free-Go network is now firmly established in the city.
📍 Chateau-Bruyant
Thanks to Francesca, Agnès Denis, Dominique Hiestand, and Gaby, true neighborhood guardians.
📍Centre de la Roseraie
Thanks to Fabrice Roman for his hospitality and trust since day one.
“When you open the door to a Free-go, you're passing through a prism that values both food and individuals, inviting you to encourage better consumption habits. This is a story that raises standards and leaves no doubt about choosing only quality in our way of communicating and navigating our relationships. This entire journey and adventure were introspective and led to the creation of Prism, focusing on creating communication operations built on strong relationships.”
Maxime, Founder and CEO of Prism
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