• Community Supported Membership Fund

    Extending a helping hand with free & low-cost memberships for people in our community.

    Apply Today

Our mission is to build a future without waste for everyone

Our Community Supported Membership fund offers free and low-cost Ridwell memberships. It eases access to the waste-less lifestyle for folks who can use a helping hand. The list of people who apply often includes students, teachers, veterans, differently abled folks, first responders, healthcare workers, people on fixed incomes, families in need, and more.

We’ve opened the Community Supported Membership fund over the past two holiday seasons and provided service to hundreds of planet-loving people. This year, our third, we hope to make the biggest impact yet.

How to get involved

  1. Check to see that we can service your area

  2. Simply submit an application at the link below by December 15th. All applications are honor-system based. Recipients will be chosen in January 2024.

Apply today

Already a member? You can support the fund by donating directly or buying a Ridwell gift card. Ridwell will donate $10 for each gift card purchased through 12/31.

Meet recipients from previous years

  • Veteran

    ”As a Marine veteran who worked in the trash industry I see the inner workings of how simple recycling can by-pass the recycling center and head straight to the landfill. I love the impact Ridwell is making on the world and I’m proud to be a part of it!”

    Seattle, WA

  • Frontline parents

    “My husband and I are both front line hospital workers with two little boys. Despite significant student loan debt we do all we can to make sure we leave our boys a better environment than our current one!”

    Denver, CO

  • Local HHS

    “I work for Health and Human Services and believe that a healthy community is a happier community. We can be healthy in many ways and recycling is one of them! And by doing so we save the planet!”

    Austin, TX

  • Paraeducator

    “I’m a full-time paraeducator, student, and caretaker for my 22 year old austitic son. My days can be full. With Ridwell, I gain the ability to recycle more than our local recycling company picks up without having to go to the center every week.”

    Seattle, WA

  • Upcycle artist

    “I'm an upcycle artist, and have been active in the ecology movement over a decade, woke since 1969. I'm disabled and on a fixed government income. Ridwell helps me do more to save the planet.”

    Portland, OR

  • Nonprofit mom

    “I am a community educator, master composter, mother of 3, who works for a nonprofit. I live my life true to my values of trying to leave the world better than I find it and am grateful to have Ridwell to help make responsible choices easier. “

    Denver, CO

  • Teacher

    “As a teacher I aim to inspire children to be their best selves and do things to heal our planet. I tell them, ‘be a leader yourself before you tell someone else to do differently.’ Ridwell allows me to lead on the things that matter.”

    Denver, CO

Want to apply?

If the Community Supported Membership sounds like a good fit for you as a recipient, let us know. Applicants will be randomly selected & notified in January 2024.

Apply today

FAQs

  • Community Supported Memberships are free and low-cost 6-month Ridwell memberships for anyone who needs a helping hand. Our goal is to empower more people and neighborhoods to waste less without budget as a barrier.

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    The Community Supported Membership covers 6 months of core Ridwell services free of charge. This means pickups every two weeks of our core categories and featured category.

    Add-ons—extra services we provide for an additional fee—are not included in Community Supported Memberships. For more information on what is an add-on, see our “Categories and add-ons” FAQ.

  • We have two easy ways to contribute to the fund:

    1. During certain parts of the year, we donate $10 towards the fund for every Ridwell gift card purchased.

    2. Give directly to the fund

    Thanks for giving the gift of Ridwell to support our communities and the planet.

  • Answer a few quick questions to apply today! We’ll notify recipients on XX/XX.

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    Who’s eligible to apply? If you have budgetary constraints that make it difficult to access Ridwell membership, you’re eligible to apply for a Community Supported Membership.

    Do I have to provide any income or employment information to apply? No. We trust people to apply based on need, which looks different for everyone. We will only ask for your email and zip code and a bit about why you want to join Ridwell.

    What does the selection process look like? We confirm the applicant's zip code is in an active service area. Then we randomly select qualified recipients.

    Still have questions? Email help@ridwell.com.