In all my enthusiasm for stories about refrigerators, somehow I missed this very sweet one from Saudi Arabia. Last May, just before the holy month of Ramadan, a gentleman in Ha’il, a city in the northwestern part of the country, was contemplating how he could do more for those in need. That’s when he hit upon a simple idea: Why not put a refrigerator on the street for the hungry and homeless to access?

Shaikh Mohammad Al Araifi

According to the BBC, the man, who wishes to remain anonymous, hoped that he could restore people's dignity by sparing them from having to beg for food. And though he pays for the electricity to keep the icebox running, he isn’t filling the fridge alone. When friends and neighbors heard about the effort, they rushed to fill the shelves, not just with leftovers, but with freshly cooked meals for the hungry to access. The story has since inspired some wonderful copycatting in the region, including this family in Qatar who stock a fridge twice a day with cold beverages, yogurts and breads for anyone seeking relief from the hot sun.

(h/t BBC)