With the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, joblessness is increasing, and people are in need of help. This is particularly a problem in the US, but many others in other countries are also struggling, and it’s likely the number of people needing help will be increasing as the crisis continues. This isn’t going to be over for a year, or possibly more, and the economic impacts are going to last even after vaccines have been widely distributed.
To that end, I’ve put together a list of different resources for people who are struggling to make ends meet. This is a mix of both ways to seek help, and ways to give help to those in need. I will update and re-post this at least once a week while the pandemic and associated economic fallout continue. This is currently mostly focused on the U.S., with some UK resources, but I want to expand it to cover anyone needing help anywhere if possible. There’s a lot here, and it’s currently not particularly organized, because I don’t currently have a system for doing so. I also haven’t included much about things like PPE crafting or distribution – this is mostly focused on aid relating to food, housing, and other things that currently require money.
I’m also starting to look harder for resources for places that haven’t been hit as hard yet (based on the reporting I’ve seen) but that are expected to be in trouble around the world in the coming months. If anyone has resources I’ve missed, please include them in the comments and I’ll add them in to the next round.
- From Bigdoorbrigade.com, who have done a great job pulling this stuff together. Look at this stuff, but check them out too, because they’ve got more on how to help, how to organize, and so on:
https://www.mutualaidhub.org/ – a map of mutual aid projects and requests around the United States. FYI, McAffee flagged this site as somehow worrisome. I’m not sure why.
https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/ – Mutual Aid Disaster Relief – solidarity, not charity. This is an opportunity to help, for now. If I find a way to ask them for aid, I’ll update.
It’s Going Down is a digital community center for anarchist, anti-fascist, autonomous anti-capitalist and anti-colonial movements. They have a list of mutual aid efforts focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic across the United States as well as some in Canada.
This is a US-based google doc with a huge amount of resources linked, from guides, to counter-propaganda, to existing aid efforts. Tactics and info are relevant across the board, most of the linked aid efforts are centered in the US.
Coronavirus resource list “This kit is a collectivized document that will be updated as more mutual aid projects and resources appear online. Recognizing that not everyone will have access to great internet to access some of these, I encourage you to apply these offline as well as online.”
COVID-19 Mutual Aid UK – Mutual aid resources in the United Kingdom
For those interested, Amy Goodman of Democracy Now did an interview with Dean Spade, who created Big Door Brigade.
- Coronavirus Rent Relief Fund has sent out hundreds of thousands to help people struggling with relief. Go here to donate, or to seek help if you need it.
- From my old stomping grounds – Mutual Aid Medford & Somerville
- Fool.com has some resources on legislation, as well as various programs that provide limited help to some people in the U.S.
- Farmworkers’ COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund, organized by a few different groups working together.
- Boston Public Library has some resources:
The Human Network Initiative is a collaboration between Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. They have put together this collation of local and state resources
Likewise, the Massachusetts Jobs With Justice group has put together of resources and mutual aid groups
The Asian American Resource Workshop has created a wider ranging sheet of resources and mutual aid groups. It includes a lot of information on how to combat prejudice and xenophobia in this unprecedented situation
A Facebook group titled “COVID-19 Greater Boston (mutual aid and resources)” has been set up
The folks behind the news site Boston.org have set up the Boston Helps network
A neighborhood group has been organized for Jamaica Plain and Roxbury, with similar groups in many Boston neighborhoods
The staff, faculty, and students of Tufts have created their own mutual aid group for their community, as have other schools
Just outside of the city, communities like Cambridge have also seen mutual aid groups being set up
- Idea for action: Community garden set up by folks in South Seattle:With the physical and financial help of at least 15 other people, including the neighbor who offered the strip of space in front of his house to create the garden on 33rd Avenue South in South Seattle, Miller has started up a community garden on her block. Like the rest of the nation, Miller’s neighbors and friends have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, and she wants to help support those in need, during what’s proving to be a difficult and frightening time for many.
- Opportunity to help: TAA Mutual Aid Fund for Grad Workers and FamiliesAs part of the TAA’s broader commitment to supporting or most vulnerable and precarious, we have set up a Mutual Aid Fund where graduate student employees can request aid to respond to an urgent financial need. This fund has been seeded with contributions from three incredible members who wanted to see the TAA act to relieve immediate financial needs for its members.If you are able, please consider donating to this fund to ensure that our colleagues, co-workers, friends, comrades in financially uncertain times can be supported.And any UW grad student can apply for funds at http://bit.ly/TAAmutualaid.
- Opportunity to help: Fund for Chicago-area Amazon Warehouse workersDCH1 Amazonians United is an organization of mostly Black and Latino workers at an Amazon warehouse on the southwest side of Chicago. The majority of us are women, and many of us work multiple jobs while taking classes, raising our children, and supporting our elderly family members. We are organizing to permanently improve the conditions at our warehouse and for all Amazon workers. And we are working hard through this pandemic to keep our city supplied- please support us!
- BKShowsLove Emergency Fund for Hourly Workers (Brooklyn, NY)
- Indyweek.com has a number of resources linked in this article (U.S.A.)
- Opportunity to help: Fund for striking workers at UCSC:
Wildcats want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us so far! With your solidarity, we have raised just enough to take care of the basic needs of all 80 graduate student workers who were recently fired for grade withholding. Thanks to you, we have been able to rest assured that our rent, food, and other needs will be covered. Your donations also fed thousands of strikers and our allies on our month-long picket line and covered medical and legal expenses of those who were violently arrested by University of California police. This fund continues to be the foundation for our ongoing fight for a cost of living adjustment (COLA).
- Opportunity to help: Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) COVID-19 Emergency Appeal:
MAP staff are already doing all we can to support local medical services who are serving Palestinian communities living under occupation and as refugees. We have already provided emergency hygiene supplies to 1,200 vulnerable Palestinians living in Gaza. We anticipate further need for an emergency medical response in the weeks and months ahead. Please help us be there for Palestinians during this crisis with a donation today.
Your donation can help pay for:
- Hygiene Kits
- Antiseptics
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Medicines and medical supplies
- Help finding food in the United States and an opportunity to help: WhyHunger.orgThe WhyHunger Hotline refers people in need across the U.S. to food pantries, soup kitchens, summer meals sites, government nutrition programs and grassroots organizations, especially those that provide access to nutritious foods and nutritional support services.
- Gig Workers Collective has a LONG list of resources for struggling gig workers in the United States, both in general, and state-by state
- TipJar Hospitality workers emergency fund (UK):
The chancellor’s announcement now helps millions of hospitality workers, but sadly still so many are not protected by this as they don’t have contracts, were paid off pay roll or dismissed by employers before the announcement. We decided to take action to help those that are still hurting. We have the technology, contacts & understanding to make a difference quickly.
We have created ‘The Hospitality Workers Emergency Fund’ to allow the kind hearted, altruistic & caring UK public to donate to an emergency fund to help the most vulnerable & in need in our sector during this time. Our mission was always to champion hourly paid tipped workers, we never imagined in this way…
- This journalist furlough fund is trying to help journalists who’ve seen their pay stopped for one reason or another. You can donate here, or follow a link to request aid
- Jezebel has a list of ways to help (and to seek help):
Here are just a few other places to donate that I’ve seen floating around. There are likely more local efforts where you live.
Nationwide: Cinema Worker Solidarity Fund
Nationwide: UNITE HERE’s fund for impacted workers
Nationwide: Coronavirus Care Fund for domestic workers
NYC: Emergency COVID Relief for Sex Workers in New York
- The Majority Report with Sam Seder has regular “plugs and notices” videos relating to the pandemic. Here’s their latest:
And some of the resources from this and other videos:
Thai Farm Kitchen is providing free meals for those who need it in Brooklyn
UPS workers organizing to protect themselves (since the corporation apparently doesn’t give a shit) Also check here.
Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless (NJ) Covid-19 relief fund
Renaissance Economic Relief Corporation: Emergency Small Business Relief Loan Fund (NYC only)
Chicago-based remote mental health services on a sliding scale with some pro-bono options.
Inclusive Action for the City has a relief fund for street vendors in LA
Asian Americans for Housing and Environmental Justice has a mutual aid fund focused on LA
Ayuda Mutua: Support families in Milkwaulkee – Support for Latinx families in Milwaulkee
Restaurant Workers Community Foundation has a fund to help restaurant workers
Co-op store was broken into and robbed, and needs help recovering
Chester County COVID assistance network (Facebook)
musicalartists.org/membership/relieffund
NYC DSA mutual aid/relief fund
Mutual aid efforts in Australia
Fund to help housekeepers and day laborers
Thinklab list of gofundme efforts
Career Onestop on finding government help in the U.S.
AFL-CIO federal and state resources for workers (U.S.)
Info on applying for Medicaid and CHIP (U.S. healthcare assistance)
I’ll keep updating this as I find new stuff, and as always, let me know if you come across things I’ve missed, and please consider donating to my patreon!
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