Mutual Aid Efforts for Boston Residents in COVID19

Charles River Mutual Aid Program (CRMAP) is a group of activists and students from across the Boston area who are mobilizing to provide mutual aid to residents in need of resources. We are pooling funds in a Mutual Aid Fund to purchase food, medical supplies, and other necessities for people who request them, and organizing to deliver these resources to the community. In addition, we seek to bring people together and partner with other organizations to help fight back against capitalism’s injustices during this crisis, injustices such as the predatory collection of unpayable rents at a time when tenants are losing their sources of income.


As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic spreads like wildfire in the US, millions of people are being left out to dry. University students are being told to “think creatively” to find housing as they are evicted en masse. Businesses are shutting down and laying off workers, meaning millions of working families are losing part or all of their income. Many businesses that remain open are putting their workers in hazardous conditions. We have come together to try and help support the residents and displaced students of Boston who are suffering due to the large-scale failure of our political and economic systems to support people and meet their needs.


If you are able to contribute financially, any amount is greatly appreciated, and 100% of the proceeds are distributed to Boston residents and students who have requested aid on our website (crmutualaid.com) due to the circumstances arising from COVID-19. 


If you are local and able to contribute additional resources (food, storage, temporary housing, etc.) to students and others in the community, please go to our website and fill out a response offering help, and we will be in touch!


Thank you again so  much for making a difference in our community during this time!


All the donations coming in so far are amazing!  We want to try to be as transparent as possible so here is our current plan for distributing funds to those in financial need:  Every week we plan on sending $50 to each new person that has requested financial support from our program. Then we will send $50 to everyone who requested previously as long as funds are available or until their need is met.  If we cannot keep up with the $50 payments we will continue to send out our donations as evenly as possible to those in need. Money will be withdrawn to a separate bank account held by one of our organizers, Emily, being used exclusively for this campaign (NOT personal checking) and transferred to individuals requesting aid from our dedicated paypal account connected to this bank account. Depending on withdrawal speed, some of our members may "front" these transactions to get resources where they need to be as soon as possible! In this case, the money from this fund will be used to reimburse those transactions. 100% of the proceeds will be given to the individuals who sign up for financial support. In the case that the person requesting aid asks someone to instead spend it for them (ie on groceries), that will be allowed as well, and considered to be that individual's $50 amount for the week!


This is subject to change if there are any major developments in our situation, we will update you as things progress!  If you have any comments, criticisms, or suggestions, please email us at [email redacted]!