Williams College Mutual Aid Collective

Statement of Purpose

The Williams College Mutual Aid Collective is a group of students dedicated to creating a community-funded and supported network to care for our community through direct monetary support and distribution of resources and services to students. Working through the framework “solidarity, not charity,” mutual aid is meant to facilitate a permanent system of community support and self-determination. We believe that it is our responsibility to meet the basic needs of our community when current systems and institutions fail to do so. Our role is to act as facilitators to re-distribute aid, rather than manage funds explicitly. So far, we have redistributed over $40,000 to members of our community. We also believe in non-monetary material aid and have sought to make household items, clothing, hygenie products (and more) available to community members via our campus free store.

What is mutual aid?

Mutual aid is a form of community solidarity based around social cooperation that aims to fight systemic inequality in our capitalist society. It has roots in communities around the world including indigenous groups in Latin America, enslaved African Americans in the 18th Century in the US, and Russian anarcho-socialist circles.

While mutual aid can take many forms -- re-distribution and sharing of food, housing, and other essential goods (clothes, menstrual products et cetera), sharing of skills and labor (childcare collectives) and so much more -- Williams mutual aid focuses on monetary re-distribution within the College and Campus community, though we have recently expanded to hard goods via our campus free store.

How does it work?

Mutual aid is entirely community run and supported.

Members of the Williams community can request financial aid through our funding request form for covering any expenses that cannot be met by other sources provided at the college. Common uses of funds are rent, utilities, groceries, travel, medical expenses, winter clothes, personal emergencies, etc. All requests get filled, regardless of what it is for. We do not make any moral decisions; there is no evaluation or judgement. We typically fulfill requests chronologically but there is a space on the form to express more time sensitive needs if applicable. All information asked on the form remains entirely anonymous unless we need to contact requesters.

The funds are acquired through a variety of means, such as bake sales, larger events, collaborating with other RSOs, patreon, etc. We accept donations at all times! While we aim to fill requests as soon as possible and hope for a two week turnaround, the speed of meeting the needs depends on the rate of donations.

How are requests evaluated?

Every request gets filled, we do not make any decisions or judgements. We typically fulfill requests chronologically but prioritize time sensitive needs on a case by case basis.

Who are you? How can I get involved?

We are a group of current Williams students who are passionate about community care and solidarity! If you are interested in joining us or have any questions please email [email redacted] or visit https://sites.google.com/williams.edu/williamsmutualaid/home