Hello friends & allies, near & far -

"River Valley Mutual Aid is a grassroots network whose mission is to provide community relief, support, and aid based on the principles of solidarity, autonomy, reciprocity, shared resources, collective care, and direct action." - R.V.M.A. mission statement

     As the Covid-19 pandemic spreads to every corner of the world, it is more obvious than ever that the systems of capitalism and incarceration cannot support a healthy collective. But, in every disaster, there are people who come together to help their neighbors and the current crisis is no different. You've undoubtedly seen a GoFundMe circulating your social media or heard of organizations that collect resources for redistribution. Perhaps you have a neighbor who is willing to fix your vehicle for you, or watch your children while you work. Perhaps you are that neighbor. People have always realized that the current system is not working for them or their families, and they turn to the networks they already have to get what they need. This sort of solidarity work is essential to not just surviving a crisis, but empowering our communities to overcome and make obsolete the disparities that created the crisis in the first place.

     Our vision is to nurture a society based the free-exchange of knowledge, ideas, and resources. We want to reimagine how communities relate to each other, and to build networks of care that exist outside and in-opposition to capitalism. Our hope is that this free-exchange will transform how we choose to spend our efforts. We want to pushback at the assumption that nothing is free. Those with wealth do not deserve more than those with none.
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     Members of RVMA have been organizing together as part of Food Not Bombs, where we distribute 120-180 free hot vegan meals every week, with both a delivery and a stationary event. We have expanded our traditional Food Not Bombs chapter to include a free store, handing out supplies such as warm clothes, tents, sleeping bags, hand warmers, and personal care items every week as well. 

     We see a need to create something even more robust and adaptable to the challenges we face ahead. A solidarity network that extends beyond twice-weekly meals, beyond just the folks already living outside. We want to create a space that can engage in mutual aid every single day. 

We'd like to introduce you to River Valley Mutual Aid.

Goals: 
Grocery Delivery: our plan is to start a free weekly grocery delivery program using some store-bought and some donated goods. 
Hand Sanitizer: we plan on making around 3000 4oz hand sanitizers in our first few months, and giving them all for free.
Education Projects: We plan on using the space to organize and host free workshops. (Outdoors for now of course)
Shared Space:  Our space will be open to collaborate, cook, store supplies, and organize. 
Library: We plan on curating a library of books, zines and films for people to borrow.
Zines: We plan on finding a printer to curate and print zines affordably for distribution. 
FNB: We will enhance Food Not Bombs by having a larger space with more capacity to store donations. 

What will the money would be used on? 

- $5,000 for grocery delivery program. 
- $5,000 for supplies to keep unhoused community members safe and warm
- $4,000 to redistribute to other groups doing solidarity work
- $3,000 for raw materials for hand sanitizer project.
- $3,000 for general updates to the space.


 

Thank you all so much for reading and donating. We look forward to working together to build a better world.
​​​​​​​Solidarty forever, R.V.M.A.