Not Your Mama's Mutual Aid

As the temperature gets hotter, figuratively in terms of our political situation and literally given the climate, you may be looking for ways to make a difference. I’ve been feeling overwhelmed, I’m not gonna lie. People are getting kidnapped in front of their homes, never to return and we have political figures just daring other political figures to stop them from sinning. So what do you do?

You go local.

What does that even mean? We know that mutual aid is on the tongues of all of our friends on the left, but what if you live in a town that doesn’t have any organizations or you don’t want to engage with the narrow missions of the groups around you?

I have some options.

1. Church- I know. You may not want to engage with them or maybe you’re a lapsed Christian or not a Christian at all. Any religious organization worth their salt is going to have some outreach going. They’ll know if elderly people need hot lunches or if some new moms need diapers and a crib. Call and ask if there’s someone in need.

2. Bail Funds - One of my favorites is National Bail Out. They do a campaign every mother’s day to bail out Moms who are incarcerated for Mother’s Day.

   

3. Women’s Shelters - Even tiny towns may have a space or place for mothers and kids fleeing domestic violence. They’re always in need. They may need people to landscape the grounds, provide gently used clothes, toys and gear for like cribs and strollers. They might also need personal hygiene items and even books for all ages.

4. Juvenile Detention Centers - The state may or may not provide things that these kids need to thrive outside of shelter and food. I’ve donated young adult books in the past and they were greatly appreciated.

5. Schools - Schools are going to be the seat of aid in your community, whether it is affluent or not. Even if the school has a state-of-the-art lab, that doesn’t mean they have consummables. You need onions before you can extract the DNA from one. The library may need giveaways for top readers or pads for girls in need. Check out Donor’s Choose to see projects from teachers year-round in your area who need help.