The Mutual Aid LA Monthly Dispatch #3 (February)

MUTUAL AID LA: GOINGS-ON

Greetings from your friends at Mutual Aid LA! We’re excited you decided to spend a few minutes with our third dispatch–which if you’re unfamiliar–is a roundup of groups across Los Angeles engaging in mutual aid work. Mutual Aid LA was formed in response to COVID-19, but it’s clear there will be negligence by our city’s government with or without a pandemic. We’ve been reevaluating and shifting and building a new foundation so that our group functions as a network that connects people with groups and groups with one another. Accessible directories of mutual aid groups and resources are in progress, along with more in-person and remote opportunities to learn from and support one another. Share this dispatch, submit efforts you think should be a part of this dispatch and above all, use this dispatch to meaningfully engage with the city you call home.

FEATURED EFFORT: SOUTH HILL FRIDGE

The South Hill Fridge popped up just across the 110 from USC at South Hill & W 28th in August of 2020 as a part of the LA Community Fridges network. It’s often challenging to find a fridge host who can provide a reliable electricity hook up, an accessible location with foot traffic and width for the fridge to not be an obstacle, who is welcoming to all community members and who doesn’t collaborate with law enforcement, but the folks who run Cargo Costume, approached LACF ready to host and provide everything asked for and more.

The fridge serves a housed community in nearby apartments and the unhoused community in the surrounding blocks. A few months after first plugging it in, fridge organizers started to hear feedback from the unhoused community about how it was tricky for them to risk leaving their possessions to make the mile round-trip walk to a fridge that is often empty. And so, South Hill Sundays was launched and with the help of ready-to-eat meal suppliers like Joy of Sharing and The Good Karma, meals are picked up and distributed both by wagon to encampments and by hand at the fridge itself.

As organizers continue to build relationships with the surrounding community, they’ve expanded what they provide and are calling in more volunteers to keep it happening consistently.

This mutual aid effort raises money to purchase as well as collects donations of hygiene items, water, pet food, clothing, tarps, socks, blankets, and gift cards to distribute along with the meals. And they’re always scheming up more for the near future, like a resource list specifically tailored for unhoused individuals, a pet wellness clinic for the neighborhood’s many dogs and cats and a Drug Store day inspired by the organizers at MacArthur Park. Keep an eye on The South Hill Fridge, as it’s a beautiful example of a hyper local mutual aid project that has had challenges but even more growth, and therefore continues to be a hub of resources for the community in which it lives.

How YOU can contribute...

• Add extra food and water to your next grocery trip and stock the fridge!
• Sign up to clean the fridge or remove boxes from bulk food donations once a week
• Source donated items for distribution or drugstore day (hygiene items, pet food, tarps, socks, blankets, etc. View a full list)
• Sign up to become a pick-up/delivery driver for meals on Sundays
• Sign up to distribute meals and supplies by wagon to the unhoused encampments in the neighborhood (for the social and fun-loving folks)
• If you don’t live near the South Hill fridge, find out what Los Angeles Community Fridge is closest to you, and jump in or build on to what’s happening there.
• Learn more about LACF in general and if there isn’t a fridge near you, look into what it takes to get one up and running.

DO YOU HAVE TIME, ITEMS* OR MONEY TO CONTRIBUTE?

*PLEASE clean, sort & fold all items you are donating. Items should be new or gently used. Socks, underwear and hygiene items should always be unused.

WHO: Acción Comunitaria
WHAT: ITEMS MONEY
Acción Comunitaria is a group of mothers and women who organize a free weekly food distribution (both produce boxes and ready-to-eat meals) for the elderly, the houseless, and food insecure families in and around their neighborhood of Cypress Park. They also offer clothing, household items and information on tenants rights. Donations of grocery staples are always welcome. DM Acción Comunitaria on IG with any questions
WHEN: Wednesdays @ 5pm for donation drop-off
WHERE: 913 Cypress Avenue 90065
$$$: GoFundMe donations will help w/ the purchase of a cargo van so this group can do more food & donation pickups and deliveries.

WHO: GLBMAN (Greater Long Beach Mutual Aid Network)
WHAT: ITEMS TIME
This alliance of anti-capitalist organizations provides weekly deliveries of fresh food, baby supplies, and other essential items to 100+ families facing systemic food insecurity in the greater Long Beach area. Volunteers are needed to pack and deliver food on Thursdays and/or to join the weekly phone banking effort to call recipient families Monday - Wednesday, from the comfort of your home. (Spanish proficiency is +) DM on IG or email glbmutualaid@gmail.com to get involved. Accepting donations of staple pantry items like rice, beans as well as baby items.
WHEN: Thursdays @ Noon for Grocery packing & delivery / Monday - Wednesday for Phone banking / Mondays @ 6pm for Logistics Meetings / 1st Monday monthly @ 6:30pm for General Meetings
WHERE: 425 Atlantic Ave for packing food (Long Beach, CA + surrounding communities)

WHO: ALL POWER Books
WHAT: ITEMS MONEY
ALL POWER is a co-operative book store and organizing space simultaneously running as a mutual aid group: a space of radical education and radical love for working class people of LA. We are always in need of items for our “free store,” especially hygiene items like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouthwash; shelf-stable foods like instant rice, pasta, or other meals (no beans please, we have so much of that); other miscellaneous beauty items like makeup, hair products, and household cleaning products. These items are distributed to the community or shoppers anytime they want, all they need to do is come into the shop and go into the free store! DM on IG or Email ThePeople@allpowerbooks.org w/ any questions.
WHEN: 2-7p wed-fri+sun, 12p-7p sat • closed mon + tue
WHERE: 4874 W Adams Blvd. 90016 (In West Adams neighborhood)
$$$: Make a one-time or monthly donation or purchase something in-store or online.

WHO: SOUTH BAY COMMUNITY CARE (SBCC)
WHAT: ITEMS MONEY
A mutual aid group in the South Bay building support and community with food, supplies, redistributed wealth and political education. Seeking items such as hygiene kits and tents to support our unhoused neighbors with emergency relief in the case of a sweep or any other emergency.
WHERE: The South Bay Cities (Carson, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lomita, Harbor City, San Pedro, Wilmington, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Westchester)
$$$: Seeking money for mutual aid costs such as water, utensils & an emergency fund for temporary shelter stays. CashApp: $SBCOMMUNITYCARE / Venmo: @SBCommunityCare

WHO: In The People's Corner (ITPC)
WHAT: ITEMS MONEY
ITPC advocates for racial equality by addressing health disparities in LA through the provision of free health services to LA’s underserved or disengaged homeless persons. ITPC does this by locating areas in LA that have high health disparities and partnering with health organizations to provide free goods and multidisciplinary services at a mobile event, Louie’s Clinic, at least once a month. The goal of ITPC is not only to provide health services, but also to connect our target audience with local health organizations to establish continuity of care.
WHEN: Events once to twice a month.
WHERE: Macarthur Park and all over LA
$$$: Zelle: inthepeoplescorner@gmail.com / Gofundme
/ Contribute through wishlist

WHO: Bicycle Meals
WHAT: TIME ITEMS MONEY
Seeking volunteers to help feed the unhoused community in Koreatown. Volunteers can bring a bicycle, skateboard, roller skates, scooter, car or walk on foot to deliver meal kits to our unhoused neighbors. Please bring a backpack or large tote bag to carry meal kits. We accept new or gently used clothing, shoes, blankets, tents, tarps, hygiene products & PPE. Drop-off can be the same time & place as volunteer location (Sundays @ 12pm) or reach out to @bicyclemeals on IG to arrange a time to drop off goods.
WHEN: Sundays @12pm (takes about an hour)
WHERE: Immanuel Presbyterian Church Parking lot located in Koreatown - 3300 Wilshire Blvd
$$$: Venmo: @Koreatown (Michael Pak) w/ the message BICYCLE MEALS

WHO: Lens Co
WHAT: TIME
Lens Co is organizing the 2022 Homeless Youth Count with USC. Strong community coordination is essential for organizing a Youth Count that accurately estimates young people experiencing homelessness in LA. This year is more important than ever as it will be the first Youth Count since the COVID-19 pandemic began. We are inviting the expertise and knowledge of student groups, local organizations, mutual aid groups, and faith-based communities to join this effort. We are organizing 3 high impact Blitz days which are weekends dedicated to focusing a concerted effort on a single community to canvas as many census tracts as possible. On a community blitz day, volunteer teams will arrive at a deployment site, receive a short training, and be assigned a group of census tracts to canvas. Teams canvas using a census tract map either in their car or walking, identifying, approaching, and engaging with any young people who may be experiencing homelessness to complete a 2 minute compensated survey. Community Blitz Days will provide food, beverages, and mutual aid supplies for groups who volunteer. Please sign-up soon or email hello@lensco.la with questions.
WHEN: Friday, February 25th / Saturday, February 26th / Sunday February 27 (for 4 hours)
WHERE: Venice (2/25) / San Pedro (2/26) / San Fernando (2/27)

WHO: PB Sundays
WHAT: TIME MONEY
Youth skaters building community with their unhoused neighbors and expanding collective awareness of one another one sandwich at a time. Each month, skater kids and their families gather to skate and make and distribute PB&J’s, water and Narcan to unhoused communities and individuals in LA. Send a DM to their IG @pbsundays to get involved and find out about the next Sunday skate & distro.
WHEN: Sunday
WHERE: TBD
$$$: Contribute to this group's fundraising campaign for supplies and other resources needed to keep this community’s sandwich making and distribution going.

WHO: El Monte Tenants Union (EMTU)
WHAT: TIME ITEMS MONEY
Building tenant solidarity through mutual aid in El Monte, California. EMTU builds tenant solidarity through mutual aid like a weekly food distribution, collecting resources like books and supplies for the community and providing education around tenants rights. In-person and remote volunteers are needed for seeking out food vendor donations, setting up and breaking down food distro, updating the broader org, and more. Accepting food donations for weekly Saturday Food Distro like tortillas, bread, leafy greens, oil, baby food and cereal. If you’d like to drop off food, volunteer, or organize with EMTU, please DM via IG!
WHEN: Saturdays 1-2pm (February Food Distributions)
WHERE: Alternating between Arceo Park and Mt View Park (Mountain View Park Feb 19th and Arceo on the 26th!)
$$$: Monetary contributions are low but super vital to making these weekly food distributions happen. Any amount helps, please Venmo: @EMTenants-Mutual-Aid

WHO: Sharing Love with Others
WHAT: TIME ITEMS MONEY
Seeking volunteers for meal, clothing and hygiene distro in Skid Row. DM your name, cell and email via IG to sign up. Accepts new or gently used clothing, shoes, blankets and sheets. Drop-off same as volunteer location.
WHEN: Saturdays 12pm-4pm
WHERE: 620 E. 7th St. between Crocker & San Pedro
$$$: CashApp $sharinglove2019 / Venmo sharinglovewithothers / give consistently via Patreon / contribute via Wishlist

WHO: Torrance for Justice
WHAT: TIME ITEMS MONEY
A group on the ground in Torrance organizing for racial justice, affordable housing, and community support for unhoused and low-income people. Currently seeking items and volunteers for upcoming mutual aid distribution . Volunteers needed to help distribute care packages, help w/ charging phones, and serving hot food and drinks, as well as notifying people around the park about the event. Also accepting PPE, wishlist items, gently used or new clothing and shoes, blankets, backpacks, tents, sleeping bags. Those interested in volunteering at distro or dropping off donations can sign-up online. Email torranceforjustice@gmail.com w/ q's.
WHEN: Sunday, February 20th from 11am-2pm (donation drop off 11am-noon)
WHERE: Alondra Park North Parking Lot at the northeast corner on Manhattan Beach Blvd.
$$$: Venmo: @TorranceForJustice / Amazon wishlist

WHO: Ktown for All
WHAT: TIME MONEY
Ktown for All is a volunteer-led grassroots org serving Koreatown’s homeless community members through direct aid and political advocacy. Volunteers needed for weekly outreach. Email volunteering@ktownforall.org or visit the contact page or volunteer page for more info. WHEN: Saturdays @ 11:30am for Outreach / 1st Saturday of Each Month, 3-5pm (General Meeting)
WHERE: Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 3300 Wilshire Blvd for Outreach
$$$: Venmo: @Ktownforall to help purchase supplies (they buy in bulk)

WHO: Los Angeles Community Action Network (LACAN)
WHAT: ITEMS MONEY
LA CAN is a hub of organizing for human rights and against oppression, providing food, resources and support to unhoused communities in Skid Row. Currently holding a donation drive which calls for food and health items like the following: healthy snacks like granola bars, healthy chips, canned soups and tuna, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, EmergenC powder and electrolyte packets. Please send an email to foodandwellness@cangress.org to coordinate a drop off.
WHEN: Ongoing
WHERE: 838 E 6th St. 90021 (Skid Row next to Gladys Park)
$$$: Donate online or via mail

WHO: West Valley Mutual Aid
WHAT: TIME ITEMS
The goal of WVMA is to support our unhoused and vulnerable neighbors in the West Valley area (Chatsworth, Woodland Hills, Winnetka, Reseda, Tarzana). We support West Valley Homes Yes who serve the unhoused community. Come to our Hygiene Kit assembling party to help put together kits for the unhoused members of our community. Folks can bring or drop-off donations of toilet paper, Q-tips, bandages, nail files, or small bottles of hand sanitizer to the Tarzana Rec Center during the day and time of the build.
WHEN: Saturday, March 5th @ 10:30am / Tuesday, February 22 is the WVMA New Member Meeting.
WHERE: Tarzana Recreation Center, 5655 Vanalden Ave, 91356

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