Improving healthy food options in East New York
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East Brooklyn Mutual Aid needs your help to improve the healthy food options and food insecurities within the neighborhoods of East Brooklyn.
Kelvin Taitt, the co-founder of East Brooklyn Mutual Aid (EBMA) noticed a shortage of readily available fresh foods during the 2020 pandemic. In addition, he saw his neighbors in East Brooklyn struggling to feed their families.
“In Ocean Hill and Brownsville, nearly half of the community experiences hunger due to a lack of income,” said Taitt, a native of Brooklyn. “ We initially organized to support those affected by COVID-19 by delivering free groceries and social support.”
During the pandemic, EBMA sourced low-cost groceries from predominantly Black distributors and farmers and delivered them directly to the doors of hungry New Yorkers.
“We felt like our neighbors shouldn't have to choose whether to pay their rent or to put food on their tables,” said Taitt. “When we first started, we were doing about 30 families a week. We're now up to almost 100 families a week.”
Since the pandemic, East Brooklyn Mutual Aid has successfully distributed more than one million pounds of food to over 100,000 residents throughout Brooklyn's eastern neighborhoods.
What is Mutual Aid?
The Mutual Aid model is based on the idea, "It takes a village!". In its most pure form, it is neighbors helping neighbors.
Mutual Aid looks like communities uniting against a common struggle and responding to these struggles with an exchange of resources!
Who are we?
East Brooklyn Mutual Aid is a volunteer-led initiative run by ordinary people, mostly Black, Latinx, and LGBTQIA+ folks, addressing food insecurity in Brooklyn's eastern neighborhoods.
It can be challenging to find fresh foods in many spots in New York City. The goal of EBMA is to provide access for all community members to healthy, affordable food throughout East Brooklyn.
What communities do we serve?
East Brooklyn Mutual Aid serves six zip codes in East Brooklyn:
Ocean Hill
Brownsville
East New York
Cypress Hills
Starrett City
Canarsie
We have BIG plans for the future!
Our main goal is to develop and build two marketplaces for members of East Brooklyn to shop for reasonably priced groceries that offer a wide variety of nutritious food options from local BIPOC producers.
EBMA Goals:
Build two community-led cooperative grocery stores/marketplace
Culinary Education
Wellness Stations
Community Kitchen
Hydroponic farm and learning center
Cold and dry food storage, processing, and distribution
Local producer/farmer and vendor market.
How will this look? (VISION)
Open two markets within East Brooklyn.
- East Brooklyn Food Hub (“The Hub”) in Brownsville 30,000 sq. ft. of indoor marketplace featuring local vendors
- Black Radish Grocery Store- Chestnut Commons in Cypress Hill 2,700 sq. ft. grocery store
Markets will be open to the public and operate as a consumer cooperative where anyone from the community can shop. They are not required to be a member.
Culinary Community Kitchen-
Space will be used as training incubation space for local providers.
Available to rent for community members to create products.
Partner with space to allow local farmers to have their products used to create dishes and meals for community members.
Create and promote our brand of products called “Black Radish” that will be produced in this space.
Develop a co-op model:
Work with local farmers to source food for the markets.
Raise resources to pay our farmers and providers their full rate while still being able to offer food at affordable rates to the community.
Plans for the next 12 months:
- Raise money for the first 3 years of operation.
- Work with Studio Modh and other community partners to build-out Black Radish and The Hub.
- Continue to develop additional community partnerships.
- Seek community members as vendors for The Hub and help them prepare to go into business and incubate into the space.
- Develop a crop plan for the following year. We will know which crops we are getting from each provider, and the costs, then cater to neighborhoods with culturally appropriate foods.
Our Partners:
Studio Modh- Providing pro-bono architectural services to design the build-out of the Black Radish Grocery Store and The Hub.
Black Yard Farm Collective AND Trinity Farm: The regional partner farms we’ve been working closely with and purchasing produce from since 2020.
Christian Cultural Center - Cultural institution for spiritual growth, social justice and food access
Collective Fare- a Black-owned chef-collaborative supporting those who need meal preparation support to ensure community members can receive culturally relevant and nutritious meals.
Meal Delivery is back!
In September 2022, grocery delivery will resume!
After a summer break, EBMA will be back to delivering groceries twice per week to 100 neighbors! We will be preparing our main market at Chestnut Commons in Cypress Hills.
Discover the impact of our work! Check out this YouTube video for a day behind-the-scenes with co-founder Kelvin Taitt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvPEHhKyNd0
How can you help?
Donate!
Your support will help feed our East Brooklyn neighbors as we continue our meal delivery program. By donating just $25-$40, you can feed a family for a week.
- $90 delivers groceries to 3 families.
- $210 delivers groceries to 7 families.
- $300 delivers groceries to 10 families.
- $825 delivers groceries to 25 families.
Your donation supports our vision of bringing Black Radish Grocery Stores and The Hub marketplace to life!
Volunteer!
Become a volunteer to help package and delivery groceries.
East Brooklyn Mutual Aid needs your help to improve the healthy food options and food insecurities within the neighborhoods of East Brooklyn. With your donation and support, we’ll build marketplaces where all can shop and access healthy, locally sourced food.
Fundraising team: East Brooklyn Mutual Aid (3)
East Brooklyn Mutual Aid
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
Kelvin Taitt
Beneficiary
Gale Kaufman
Team member
