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Feeling Powerless About Coronavirus? Join a Mutual-Aid Network Feeling Powerless About Coronavirus? Join a Mutual-Aid Network
(about 1 hour later)
A pandemic is frightening, and isolating. It is psychically frustrating: We need other people now more than ever. At the same time, other people have never been more dangerous to our health. The choice to go outside, even to help others, means assuming risk — for yourself, loved ones and strangers. It’s easy to feel powerless and alone.A pandemic is frightening, and isolating. It is psychically frustrating: We need other people now more than ever. At the same time, other people have never been more dangerous to our health. The choice to go outside, even to help others, means assuming risk — for yourself, loved ones and strangers. It’s easy to feel powerless and alone.
But you’re not powerless. And you’re most certainly not alone. Best of all, there’s something you can do, right now, from your couch or smartphone. You can join or help create a mutual-aid network and start helping people in your community. It takes seconds and it can make a huge difference.But you’re not powerless. And you’re most certainly not alone. Best of all, there’s something you can do, right now, from your couch or smartphone. You can join or help create a mutual-aid network and start helping people in your community. It takes seconds and it can make a huge difference.
When it became clear that the coronavirus pandemic was grinding life in the Boston area to a halt, Hannah Freedman, 25, a community organizer, and her three friends, Sophia Grogan, 24, Miriam Priven, 24, and Anna Kaplan, 25, decided to take action. How could they help college students suddenly asked to leave their dorms, perhaps with no way to get home? What about their elderly neighbors for whom getting groceries is dangerous?When it became clear that the coronavirus pandemic was grinding life in the Boston area to a halt, Hannah Freedman, 25, a community organizer, and her three friends, Sophia Grogan, 24, Miriam Priven, 24, and Anna Kaplan, 25, decided to take action. How could they help college students suddenly asked to leave their dorms, perhaps with no way to get home? What about their elderly neighbors for whom getting groceries is dangerous?
From their self-imposed quarantines, the four women opened up a Google document and started brainstorming. They put information from the local health department and city government in one central document. Then, they began to build the network out by (safely) going out into their neighborhoods and collecting phone numbers. They used the numbers to create neighborhood pods, which include group text chains and links to the online resources. From their self-imposed quarantines, the four people opened up a Google document and started brainstorming. They put information from the local health department and city government in one central document. Then, they began to build the network out by (safely) going out into their neighborhoods and collecting phone numbers. They used the numbers to create neighborhood pods, which include group text chains and links to the online resources.
The organizers then made a form for people to list their needs and a spreadsheet to collect offerings from people who wanted to donate. They also set up a Gmail address for general questions and a hotline for those who wanted to speak to somebody in person with urgent needs or concerns.The organizers then made a form for people to list their needs and a spreadsheet to collect offerings from people who wanted to donate. They also set up a Gmail address for general questions and a hotline for those who wanted to speak to somebody in person with urgent needs or concerns.
Just one week later, more than 700 people have posted donations and there are 83 active neighborhood pods. Over 120 people signed up as neighborhood leaders, canvassing their streets and creating WhatsApp text chains. While they’re not certain on numbers, the project has connected thousands in Medford and Somerville, north of Boston.Just one week later, more than 700 people have posted donations and there are 83 active neighborhood pods. Over 120 people signed up as neighborhood leaders, canvassing their streets and creating WhatsApp text chains. While they’re not certain on numbers, the project has connected thousands in Medford and Somerville, north of Boston.
“The whole point of this is accessibility,” Ms. Freedman told me on the phone this week. “It needs to be really simple and really replicable, neighborhood by neighborhood.”“The whole point of this is accessibility,” Ms. Freedman told me on the phone this week. “It needs to be really simple and really replicable, neighborhood by neighborhood.”
Mutual-aid networks have long been used by community organizers, especially during emergency situations like natural disasters. Over the last two weeks, though, hundreds of networks like Ms. Freedman’s have popped up all over the country in response to the coronavirus pandemic. I found hers through a friend who had a note slipped under his door last week, asking him to join a text chain “to stay in touch, pool resources and support each other with needs that might come up.”Mutual-aid networks have long been used by community organizers, especially during emergency situations like natural disasters. Over the last two weeks, though, hundreds of networks like Ms. Freedman’s have popped up all over the country in response to the coronavirus pandemic. I found hers through a friend who had a note slipped under his door last week, asking him to join a text chain “to stay in touch, pool resources and support each other with needs that might come up.”
I opened up the Medford “needs list” spreadsheet and was blown away by the dozens of rows of requests — for banal household items, out of stock medical supplies and even cash donations. Next to each one was a contact number and next to that, an offer of help from another community member.I opened up the Medford “needs list” spreadsheet and was blown away by the dozens of rows of requests — for banal household items, out of stock medical supplies and even cash donations. Next to each one was a contact number and next to that, an offer of help from another community member.
Of course, none of these networks is an adequate replacement for swift and urgent government action to provide a safety net to corporations, small businesses and vulnerable workers. But amid the national chaos surrounding the virus, the spreadsheet was a spiritual balm — an uplifting, real-time document of people helping people.Of course, none of these networks is an adequate replacement for swift and urgent government action to provide a safety net to corporations, small businesses and vulnerable workers. But amid the national chaos surrounding the virus, the spreadsheet was a spiritual balm — an uplifting, real-time document of people helping people.
“I am incredibly grateful for all you have done for me during this turbulent time! It is unreal … to see how much this community has banded together!” read one message in the spreadsheet from a person who’d received a Venmo donation to help pay next month’s rent.“I am incredibly grateful for all you have done for me during this turbulent time! It is unreal … to see how much this community has banded together!” read one message in the spreadsheet from a person who’d received a Venmo donation to help pay next month’s rent.
The successes might sound small but, in a crisis, they’re life-changing. In one instance, neighbors donated a corned beef meal to an elderly woman who couldn’t go to the store to help maintain a decades-long St. Patrick's Day tradition. One man living out of state asked if somebody could go grocery shopping for his 83-year-old mother. Within 15 minutes, the network had somebody at the store for her. It’s facilitated dozens of prescription pickups. And then there’s old-fashioned cash donations. In one week, the network has redistributed more than $12,690.The successes might sound small but, in a crisis, they’re life-changing. In one instance, neighbors donated a corned beef meal to an elderly woman who couldn’t go to the store to help maintain a decades-long St. Patrick's Day tradition. One man living out of state asked if somebody could go grocery shopping for his 83-year-old mother. Within 15 minutes, the network had somebody at the store for her. It’s facilitated dozens of prescription pickups. And then there’s old-fashioned cash donations. In one week, the network has redistributed more than $12,690.
Still, Ms. Freedman told me the first week has been difficult. “We’re building the plane as we fly,” she said. Among the group’s worries is making sure the network is reaching the most vulnerable members of its coverage area and crossing language barriers.Still, Ms. Freedman told me the first week has been difficult. “We’re building the plane as we fly,” she said. Among the group’s worries is making sure the network is reaching the most vulnerable members of its coverage area and crossing language barriers.
“Translation is a big need,” she said, noting that while the network is working on Haitian Creole and Nepali translations of their resource documents, it’s still looking for multilingual staff for hotlines. In the coming weeks, she says, she and counterparts in the area are hoping to continue to connect their neighborhood networks so they can share resources and redistribute money further to those in need.“Translation is a big need,” she said, noting that while the network is working on Haitian Creole and Nepali translations of their resource documents, it’s still looking for multilingual staff for hotlines. In the coming weeks, she says, she and counterparts in the area are hoping to continue to connect their neighborhood networks so they can share resources and redistribute money further to those in need.
Thanks to the template system the group set up, replicating the process neighborhood by neighborhood is relatively easy. Anyone with a Google account can look at the documents via the cloud. There are simple instructions on how to copy the forms for a new network or neighborhood pod.Thanks to the template system the group set up, replicating the process neighborhood by neighborhood is relatively easy. Anyone with a Google account can look at the documents via the cloud. There are simple instructions on how to copy the forms for a new network or neighborhood pod.
“I think that crises are such a powerful time to crack open some of these myths we’ve been told about individualism,” Ms. Freedman told me. “This is about doing something to counteract the physical distance the virus forces and finding a new way to live in your community. We can’t be together but we have to come together because we’re only going to be safe when we help each other.”“I think that crises are such a powerful time to crack open some of these myths we’ve been told about individualism,” Ms. Freedman told me. “This is about doing something to counteract the physical distance the virus forces and finding a new way to live in your community. We can’t be together but we have to come together because we’re only going to be safe when we help each other.”
There’s also a selfish component to joining a mutual-aid network: In a moment of deep uncertainty and anxiety, helping those in need is one of the few pure pleasures one can still partake in while social distancing. If you’re feeling powerless these days and have the means, look up your local mutual-aid network. Plug into the organizing that’s happening. If you don’t have the means to donate, share the resource documents or email or donation address with your neighbors. A quarantine is the perfect time to get (virtually) close to your community.There’s also a selfish component to joining a mutual-aid network: In a moment of deep uncertainty and anxiety, helping those in need is one of the few pure pleasures one can still partake in while social distancing. If you’re feeling powerless these days and have the means, look up your local mutual-aid network. Plug into the organizing that’s happening. If you don’t have the means to donate, share the resource documents or email or donation address with your neighbors. A quarantine is the perfect time to get (virtually) close to your community.
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