The Mutual Aid LA Monthly Dispatch #4 (March)

MUTUAL AID LA: GOINGS-ON

Hi! We’re thrilled you’re here for this month’s collection of LA-based mutual aid and grass roots efforts and the array of ways they’ve got for you to contribute. We’re also excited for you to get to know March’s featured effort: Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid (PUMA).

Please open your hearts, calendars and pockets and give generously. Share this dispatch far and wide, as many groups are running out of funds and experiencing a low volunteer turnout. We know it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and hopeless when looking around the world and seeing the bleak reality, but we’ve got to remember and remind each other that there are things we can do that have an impact right here in our own neighborhoods. It is often there that people find meaning and light and reason to move forward.

If you are part of a mutual aid or grass roots effort or event and you’d like to be included in our April dispatch, please fill out the provided form. Even if the effort has been included in a previous dispatch, we ask that you re-submit new and/or recurring opportunities every month so we can keep this thing a current and useful resource.

FEATURED EFFORT: PALMS UNHOUSED MUTUAL AID

Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid (PUMA) is a localized care network which aims to meet community needs among unhoused and housing insecure neighbors across Mid-City and Palms. PUMA tackles this goal through a variety of efforts and coalitions, including weekly outreach with food, water, hygiene, and survival items to encampments and unhoused neighbors, collaboration with LA Neighbors 4 Neighbors’ monthly Resource Center, weekly harm reduction at local encampments, collaboration with Palms Action Collective to attain grants for and distribute hygiene kits with direct cash assistance, local advocacy on issues of houselessness, and much more.

PUMA’s mutual aid efforts are collaborative between housed and unhoused neighbors. In early February, PUMA launched a headlamp drive for our unhoused neighbors at the suggestion of members of the community in order to offer a reliable source of light through the night. Regarding advocacy, over the past months local city offices and service providers have come to learn about what PUMA does and have invited PUMA members to participate in meetings dealing with issues of houselessness, which offers the opportunity for PUMA to give perspectives as a group that is consistently doing on-the-ground work in collaboration with unhoused neighbors.

PUMA strongly urges city officials to further engage with and call unhoused neighbors to be part of these problem-solving meetings.

How YOU can contribute...

• Purchase headlamps and/or batteries from the wishlist
• Provide meals/to go sack meals for Wednesday outreach - contact @palmsunhousedmutualaid on IG if you’re interested in committing to one or more Wednesdays’ worth of meals.
• Join the Patreon as a member for $5 or $20/month. PUMA spends about ~$2,000/month on groceries, medical supplies, toiletries, tents, blankets, clothes, books and other necessary items for unhoused and food & housing insecure community members in the Palms and Mid-city areas.
• CashApp $Ndindi to make a donation for outreach and harm reduction supplies.
• DM @palmsunhousedmutualaid on instagram to learn more about getting involved in weekly outreach efforts.
• Sign up to join LA Neighbors 4 Neighbors as a volunteer for the monthly Resource Center on the 3rd Saturday of every month in Mar Vista at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church. The next one is coming up on March 19th.
• Unhoused neighbors can contribute their time to sharing their thoughts and voices in the PUMA problem-solving discussions with city officials.

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: Pasadena Black Equity Project (PBEP)
WHAT: TIME MONEY
PBEP is a network of resources for Black Pasadena residents. You can read the full mission statement here. We call on folks to donate to the Pasadena Black Equity Mutual Aid Fund to support Black residents and families of the greater Pasadena area. This fund helps pay for essentials amidst the pressures of a global pandemic, unemployment, housing insecurity, and racial injustice. Fill out the volunteer interest form or email pasadenabep@gmail.com with inquiries.
WHEN: Ongoing online!
WHERE: Greater Pasadena Area
$$$: Donate here or via Cashapp: $pasadenabep

WHO: Antelope Valley Mutual Aid
WHAT: TIME
Antelope Valley Mutual Aid hopes to build a better sense of community in the AV and work towards various goals together. Check our Instagram for meeting dates/times! Meetings will be held in Lancaster. DM @av.mutualaid on IG to get involved.
WHEN: March 18th @ 4pm <-- next meeting
WHERE: Sgt. Steve Owen Memorial Park (43063 10th St W, Lancaster, 93534) / Lancaster, Palmdale, Quartz Hill and surrounding unincorporated towns.

WHO: Farm2Power
WHAT: TIME MONEY
Farm2Power works to support BIPOC farmers while providing free produce to members of the community most marginalized by capitalism, racism, transphobia, xenophobia, and the prison industrial complex. Pantries typically take place on the last Sunday of the month and we are always in need of volunteer drivers to deliver boxes of produce to our friends in need of food support. Sign up for our email list or email us at farm2power@gmail.com if you are interested in joining our weekly team meetings! Box Sign-up (English). Box Sign-up (Spanish).
WHEN: the last Sunday of each month
WHERE: We will deliver to absolutely anyone, anywhere Los Angeles! Our network currently ranges from Compton to Downey!
$$$: Contribute via givebutter / Venmo: @farm2power
All money raised goes toward purchasing CSA boxes of fresh produce from South Central Farmer’s Cooperative!

WHO: Peanut Butter Sundays (PBSundays)
WHAT: TIME MONEY
Skaters building community with our unhoused neighbors! Come to our bimonthly Sunday event at the Berrics with your kids! Email for more info: info@peanutbuttersundays.com
WHEN: bimonthly on Sundays
WHERE: 2535A E 12th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021 (The Berrics)
$$$: Venmo: @pbsundays / Paypal: info@peanutbuttersundays.com

WHO: Whittier for Social Justice
WHAT: MONEY
Whittier for Social Justice (W4SJ) is an autonomous radical collective committed to grassroots community support and social action in so-called Whittier, CA, Tongva Land. All monetary donations go directly to our unhoused friends or are used to purchase supplies to give out at our weekly distro in a local park.
WHERE: Whittier, CA (mostly in Uptown)
$$$: Please consider signing up for our Patreon to donate monthly / Venmo: @WhittierFor

WHO: Ready to Help
WHAT: TIME MONEY
Ready To Help is a Mutual Aid Community Network that identifies problems and creates solutions in the Los Angeles area. We empower, educate, and engage people on issues that affect their communities to build a more equitable society. Fill out this form to learn more and get involved or contact readytohelpla@gmail.com
WHEN: Meetings are 5pm on Tuesdays
WHERE: Currently working on projects in the Mid City area, but members are from all over LA.
$$$: Venmo: @ReadyToHelp

WHO: Community Fridge Pomona
WHAT: ITEMS MONEY
We are mutual aid group dedicated to reducing food insecurity in our neighborhood. To coordinate food & item drop-offs/pick-ups, get involved, host a fridge, or learn more, please send us a message via IG.
WHEN: Host’s open hours or a time we can coordinate
WHERE: Fridge and pantry are located in back parking lot of Pachamamas Remedies during store hours (922 E Holt Ave, Pomona, 91767), Another pantry at Cafe Con Libros Press (280 W 2nd St, Pomona, 91766), and at Lopez Urban Farm
$$$: Venmo: @communityfridgepomona

WHO: LA Neighbors for Neighbors
WHAT: TIME MONEY
We host a monthly resource center for unhoused Angelenos living on the Westside. We are seeking volunteers to join us for our monthly resource center in Mar Vista, as well as folks interested in joining ongoing outreach efforts on flexible days throughout the month. Check out our website www.lan4n.org to get involved!
WHEN: 8am - 4pm on the 3rd Saturday of every month
WHERE: Various locations throughout West LA, Venice, & Mar Vista
$$$: We appreciate monetary donations (especially recurring ones!)

WHO: Free Food Collective
WHAT: TIME ITEMS MONEY
We recover perfectly good produce that’s destined for landfills and deliver it to unhoused folks living in West LA instead. We are looking for folks to join our Sunday 2:30-5:30pm grocery distribution. Items/Food we’re seeking include crockpots, can openers, & canned soups. Email freefoodcollective@gmail.com to coordinate a drop-off in Mar Vista.
WHEN: Sundays @ 2:30-5:30pm
WHERE: Glen Alla Park (4601 Alla Rd, Marina Del Rey, 90292) / West LA
$$$: We graciously accept donations via Open Collective.

WHO: Torrance for Justice
WHAT: TIME ITEMS MONEY
A group in Torrance practicing mutual aid for unhoused and low-income folks. Seeking volunteers to assemble hygiene kits, to help with the 11am donation drop-off, and especially folks w/ cars to help distribute goods and hot meals all of which is happening at our Sunday, March 20th Mutual Aid event. Accepting ITEM donations of menstrual products, PPE, gently used clothes (especially L & up), new packaged underwear of any size, blankets & wishlist items. Sign-up to volunteer or drop-off. donations. Email torranceforjustice@gmail.com w/ q’s.
WHEN: Sunday, March 20th from 11am-2pm (donation drop off 11am-noon)
WHERE: Alondra Park North Parking Lot @ the NE corner on Manhattan Beach Blvd. / Torrance and neighboring South Bay cities
$$$: Venmo: @TorranceForJustice / Amazon wishlist

WHO: Community Cookouts
WHAT: MONEY
Community Cookouts are simple: free, hot, delicious meals from the grill and beverages made by a dedicated team for whoever gets in line, housed and unhoused neighbors alike. The cookouts were a response to the pandemic and have continued since, setting up over 57 cookouts anywhere from MacArthur Park to a community fridge to Veteran’s Row and even to Selma, CA for the farm workers who grow our food. These cookouts are building community with food, and while organizers do everything in their power to keep costs down and quality up, financial support from folks who are able to contribute is what will allow Community Cookouts to endure.
WHEN: All the time!
WHERE: Across and beyond Los Angeles
$$$: Venmo: @HeleoLeyva (even a few bucks helps)

WHO: Neighborhood Fruit Picker
WHAT: TIME ITEMS MONEY
Helping neighbors pick fruit from trees to donate in an effort to help those in need and reduce food waste. Email or DM with days/times available to help pick fruit OR to help transport fruit from Pasadena to LA refrigerators, churches or food banks. AND if you have or know of a fruit tree that is ready to be picked, don’t let the fruit rot and go to waste, contact Neighborhood Fruit Picker! Accepting donations of: pantry items, plastic silverware, heavy duty plastic bags, water bottles, disposable cups. Email ( neighborhoodfruitpicker@yahoo.com) or DM to coordinate any of the above.
WHEN: TBD based on individual schedules
WHERE: Pasadena, Altadena, SGV, LA
$$$: Venmo @Eva-Umana / Zelle: neighborhoodfruitpicker@yahoo.com / CashApp: $madebyeva / Accepts gift cards to Home Depot, Lowe’s, Costco, Gas Stations

WHO: WaterDrop LA
WHAT: TIME MONEY
Join the WaterDrop crew in Skid Row to pass out water to unhoused neighbors. Sign-up form here . Collecting the following items requested by unhoused individuals (check IG for updates ): tent (for 6), tarps, adult diapers (S/M), poison box rat traps and blankets. DM on IG to schedule a time to drop-off items Sundays before 11:30am.
WHEN: Sundays from 11am-2pm
WHERE: Skid Row
$$$: Buy something from the weekly wishlist / Donate through multiple platforms via link in IG bio so that this group can continue buying pallets of water to distribute in Skid Row and to share with other mutual aid groups who distribute water all across LA.

WHO: Solidarity and Snacks
WHAT: TIME MONEY
A ragtag mutual aid crew that distributes food and supplies to unhoused communities, shows up as sweep defense against cops and sanitation and supports racial justice movement direct actions with food and water among many other things. They are seeking volunteers for Tuesday morning (7am) breakfast & coffee distro, Saturday afternoon (12pm) large supply distro and Wednesday (4pm) BLM Rally refreshments. DM on IG to signup.
WHEN: Tuesdays 7am-9am @ the Corner of Spring and Cesar Chavez (El Pueblo), Saturdays 12pm-2pm @ 6th and San Pedro (Skid Row) Wednesdays 4pm in front of LA ACLU.
WHERE: El Pueblo, Skid Row and LA ACLU
$$$: Raising money for crucial items they’ve worked to secure at cheaper prices: tents, solar phone chargers, DIY bucket toilets, duffel bags, ensure, thermals and other warm clothes + more. Venmo: @solidarityandsnacks / give monthly via Patreon

WHO: Homey Made Meals
WHAT: TIME MONEY
Homey Made Meals is an effort that gets homemade meals to unhoused folks by connecting volunteers that become at-home chefs or delivery drivers. They are always accepting volunteers from all over LA but are currently in need of weekend chefs and drivers based in the Long Beach/OC area to help support the harm reduction /#servicesnotsweeps work by The People’s Coalition and OC Protests in Santa Ana.
WHEN: Most days but especially weekends
WHERE: Long Beach/Orange County area especially but volunteers are from all over LA
$$$: Homey is always accepting donations to help keep the operation running.

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