Freegan Events in New York City

Looking for more info?: ask@freegan.info

October 2025

All freegan.info events are free of charge.

Tuesday, October 14th, 8pm (note different time) • In-Person Freegan Meeting & (No-Media) Freeganism 101 and Trash Tour

Help make freeganism happen in NYC! At our organizational meetings we discuss and decide on future activities and group direction. Participants are encouraged to step up and introduce new freegan projects with the support of the group, or take roles such as facilitating meetings. We welcome both those with experience taking part in non-hierarchical, consensus-based groups and those participating for the first time.
Please bring a mask for the meeting in case it would make others more comfortable.
At 9pm we will have a brief, newcomer-friendly discussion about freeganism before exploring the area’s wasted food and other goods. We give advice on how to salvage these goods and comment on the reasons for such waste.

When & Where: For the meeting, come at 8pm to the eating area inside the Whole Foods at 95 E Houston St (between Bowery and Chrystie), Manhattan. For the Freeganism 101 and beginning of the Trash Tour, meet us at 9pm in the same location. If you have trouble finding us, call or text Janet at ‭(347) 724-6954‬.

Wednesday, October 22nd, 9pm • Freeganism 101 and Media-Friendly Trash Tour

NOTE: Media are welcome at this event by appointment only, and journalists will be required to respect the wishes of those who do not want to be photographed.
We will start this event by having a brief, newcomer-friendly talk about freeganism, before exploring the area’s wasted food and other goods. We give advice on how to salvage these goods and comment on the reasons for such waste.

When & Where: Meet at 9pm at the northeast corner of 5th Avenue and 14th Street in Manhattan. If you have trouble finding us, call or text Janet at ‭(347) 724-6954‬.

Thursday, October 23rd, 5:30pm • Freegan Feast

A FREE vegetarian, mostly vegan, community meal we make together with love, using the food the group rescued on the Trash Tour the night before. Attendees are encouraged to participate in Wednesday’s trash tour to help rescue food to use for this Freegan Feast. We’ll meet new people, reconnect with old friends, tell stories and jokes, and generally unplug from the current pent-up world. Please note that while freegans encompass a diversity of diets, our feasts are vegetarian (and mostly vegan).
Media WILL be welcome by appointment only, and journalists will be required to respect the wishes of those who do not want to be photographed.

When & Where: Arrive at 5:30 pm to begin cooking and preparation.
 Plan on lending a hand in some way even if other commitments prevent you from arriving on time. This Feast will be held at a volunteer’s home in Queens, accessible by subway. The home is smoke free but there is a cat in the house.
 It is not wheelchair accessible. RSVP (at least a day ahead) for yourself and any guests, to Janet at (347) 724-6954 for the exact location.

Sunday, October 26th, 2-6pm • Really Really Free Market

The Really Really Free Market is a bazaar and celebration where we challenge capitalist interactions, and have fun trying new models of exchange. Previous RRFMs have included skill-sharing, clothing, and books! Bring items in good and working condition that you want to pass on to someone else; drop-offs accepted between 12 noon and 4:30pm.
Textile recycling drop-off will be available, but general e-waste will not, so please bring working electronics only.
No need to bring something to take something.
We will not be serving food on-site.

When & Where: Judson Memorial Church, entrance at 239 Thompson Street (the Assembly Hall), Manhattan.

Thursday, October 30th, 7:30pm ET • Freegan Meeting on Zoom

Help make freeganism happen in NYC!
At our organizational meetings we discuss and decide on future activities and group direction. Participants are encouraged to step up and introduce new freegan projects with the support of the group, or take roles such as facilitating meetings. We welcome both those with experience taking part in non-hierarchical, consensus-based groups and those participating for the first time.

When & Where: The meeting will happen on Zoom at 7:30pm. We welcome everyone who would like to attend, but to keep our Zoom gathering safe and secure we ask that you call Janet at (347) 724-6954 ahead of time to introduce yourself and get the Zoom link information.

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Ongoing Sustainable and Mutual Aid Events of other organizations
(updated September 2025)

Weekly Bike Repair Workshops by Times Up
OUTDOOR BIKE REPAIR WORKSHOPS:
La Plaza Cultural Community Garden, SW corner of 9th St & Ave C
First and third Saturday of the month, 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET:
Come and learn how to fix your bike, and do simple maintenance and tune-ups, at the bike repair classes.
FIX YOUR OWN BIKE WORKSHOPS:
626 E 14th Street, Manhattan
Sundays & Wednesdays, 5:00 – 8:00 pm ET
Open shop — you use our tools and stands to work on your bike.
Experienced mechanics will be present to answer questions, but you do the work. Bike workshops are free, but we strongly encourage you to make a donation or become a Time’s Up member to help support our efforts. If you have a big project in mind, please be considerate of the time and plan ahead.
INFO: times-up.org, or email xupbicyclecoop@gmail.com

Food Not Bombs
Long Island Food Not Bombs currently shares free groceries and hot meals every Saturday at 3:45 pm ET just outside Von King/Tompkins Park (NW corner of Lafayette Ave. & Marcy Ave.) as part of its Bed-Stuy Food Share. Volunteers welcome, starting at 3 pm!
INFO: communitysolidarity.org, or email info@communitysolidarity.org

Food Not Bombs in Manhattan offers a vegetarian meal share (using donated food that would otherwise be wasted) Sundays at 4:30 pm ET in Tompkins Square Park (7th St & Ave. A)
Contact them if you’re interested in helping to cook and prepare food. The most up-to-date info, including specific item needs for aiding migrants, is on their facebook page: facebook.com/lowermanhattanfoodnotbombs

Composting
Curbside composting is now available to all residents in New York City. Find out more here:
www.nyc.gov/site/dsny/collection/residents/curbside-composting.page

Lower East Side Ecology Center has closed many of their compost collection sites since the start of curbside composting, so check the list on their website before you head out!
Union Square Park greenmarket: M, W, F, Sa, 8am-5pm ET
Tompkins Square greenmarket: Sundays 8am-5pm ET
Clinton & Grand: Mondays 9am-4pm ET
East Broadway and Rutgers: Wednesday 9am-4pm ET
Mathews-Palmer Park, 445 W 45th: 7 days a week 7am-6pm ET
INFO: lesecologycenter.org/compost

City-wide list of composting resources
This is a great resource to find places city-wide to bring your food scraps.:
www.nyc.gov/site/dsny/collection/residents/food-scrap-drop-off.page

East New York Compost Project
They have resumed public food scrap collection:
Drop off at the East New York Youth Farm, 24/7
620 Schenck Ave. Brooklyn, NY
See more info here: http://www.cypresshills.org/east-new-york-farms

Textile Recycling 
Green Tree Textiles has textile-recycling-collection at a few Greenmarkets, AND they accept fabric and textile scraps along with intact, usable pieces!
They have a lot of collection sites, including Greenmarkets and drop-off boxes, listed on their website here:: https://www.greentreetextiles.org/donation-locations

Wearable Collections
While we are still disappointed that they do not accept fabric scraps and rags, they do have a number of Greenmarket collection sites for re-usable, intact clothing: www.wearablecollections.com/greenmarket

Electronics Recycling
Lower East Side Ecology Center has a full month of e-waste collection events:
10/4, 10am-2pm: Marcy Square, Marcy Ave. bwtn. Fulton & MacDonough, Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn (textile recycling also available at this event)
10/4, 10am-2pm: Jehu’s Table, 2424 Linden Blvd, New Lots, Brooklyn (textile recycling and paper shredding also available at this event)
10/5, 10am-2pm: Forest Park Bandshell parking lot, Woodhaven, Queens (textile recycling and paint recycling also available at this event)
Please check their website, listed below, to see what they do and don’t accept, and to see their calendar page for additional events.
More info can be found at:www.lesecologycenter.org/e-waste/#collection-events

Also, while not ideal, NYC has a list of mostly corporate e-waste collection sites: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dsny/collection/get-rid-of/e-waste-drop-off-sites.page

Fixers Collective
The Fixers Collective is a social experiment in improvisational fixing and aggressive asset recovery. They host monthly repair clinics at Hack Manhattan, and occasional events elsewhere. Events are usually on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, at Hack Manhattan, 34 W 37th St. between 5th and 6th Aves. (Note that the space is up a flight of stairs.)
There is a suggested $5 donation, but no one is turned away.
Check for details, and let them know what you’re bringing in for repair, on their facebook page: www.facebook.com/fixerscollective

Hack Manhattan
Hack Manhattan is a non-profit, all-volunteer hackerspace in New York City. The space is a place for people to come together and socialize, work on projects, and share knowledge. They welcome anyone interested in art, craft, and technology – whether you’re interested in electronics or gardening, textiles or 3D printing, They invite you to come, work, and be part of the community.
While they do encourage people to become paying members of the space, they host regular Project Nights/Open Houses on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7pm to 9:15pm at Hack Manhattan, 34 W 37th St. btween 5th and 6th Aves. (Please note that the space is up a flight of stairs.)
See more info here: hackmanhattan.com

DEAR FRIENDS: KEEP FREEGAN.INFO ONLINE!
If you like this website, or come to our events, consider helping keep freegan.info afloat.
We’re still trying to keep up with our basic expenses by raising a few funds here: www.gofundme.com/f/help-keep-freeganinfo-online
We operate on a nearly zero budget, we’re all volunteers, we only use spaces we can access for free, and we certainly don’t buy anything for our events – but… our web tools cost us money.
We provide events for hundreds of people each year (and have been since 2005!!) and salvage thousands of pounds of food and other goods each year.
Can you help us stay online?