Ward 2 Mutual Aid is so important to our community! Much love to all the organizers!

I gave because I believe that no veteran should be without a place to call home.

Mutual aid organization supporting neighbors in Washington DC, Ward 2.

[Click here to join our newsletter to get updates and get involved](https://subscribepage.io/sHh86L)

What is Mutual Aid?

**Mutual aid is “cooperation for the sake of the common good.” It’s getting people to come together to meet each other’s needs, recognizing that as humans, our survival is dependent on one another.**

Mutual Aid is a practice and politics that emphasizes solidarity rather than charity. It means we recognize that our well-being, health and dignity are all bound up in each other. It means that we understand our survival depends on cooperation, not competition. In this particular moment, we see that our health is also dependent on other people’s health, and we can literally save each other’s lives. Rather than disengage and feel powerless, mutual aid allows us to plug in where we can make the most impact — locally.

Mutual aid IS...

- Getting people together in your community to provide material support to each other
- Building relationships with your neighbors based on trust and common interest
- Making decisions by consensus rather than relying on authority and hierarchy
- Sharing things rather than hoarding things
- Treating no one as disposable
- Providing all kinds of support, ranging from food prep to childcare to translation to emotional support, and recognizing the value of all of them
- A political education opportunity, where we build the relationships and analysis to understand why we are in the conditions that we're in
- Preparation for the next disaster (natural or economic). Next time around we'll already have relationships with each other and know who is vulnerable and needs support
- A great jumping off point for other kinds of organizing and movement work

Mutual aid IS NOT...

- Quid pro quo transactions
- Only for disasters or crises
- Charity or a way to "save" people
- A reason for a social safety net not to exist

DC Mutual Aid Network

The DC Mutual Aid Network (DCMA) is a grassroots community-led effort looking to take care of each other and keep our city as safe as possible.

- DCMA is a decentralized, community-led effort, so there is no single group that runs the network.
- There are autonomous groups for Wards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Wards 7 & 8 are served together by one group.
- The DCMA Network is governed by the ward groups on topics of social media, website, fundraising, etc. The groups also share resources, best practices and offer referrals to other groups.

Ward 2 Efforts

Ward 2 Mutual Aid is part of the larger DCMA Network. Our concrete activities are:

- **Hotline** - Volunteers staff our warmline, where Ward 2 residents can call and request assistance.
- **Groceries** - We provide a grocery bag delivery to ~150 families that request it through our hotline or building captains. The bags include fresh produce, protein, dry goods, and requested household items.
- **Encampment Outreach** - We organize a supply drop to ~120 unhoused neighbors.
- **Building captains** - We organize with local residents to utilize their leadership and relational networks. Building captains check on neighbors, relay needs, and assist with food donations and distribution.
- **Back to school** - We organize with local parents to host a book and clothing swap.
- **Support for high risk/immuno-compromised individuals** - We have been partnering with local public housing buildings to drop off cleaning supplies, masks, and groceries.

[Click here to join our newsletter to get updates and get involved](https://opencollective.com/redirect?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscribepage.io%2FsHh86L).

Ward 2 Mutual Aid

Keelworks Foundation is a 501c3; we get people to work. We've helped people get to work since 2009 with resume and job experience.

Everywhere we look, we see the unemployed and the economically disadvantaged. Some we look at and say, they get what they deserve, they did work hard and I did. You can look at this problem with compassion, understanding that it isn't that simple or you can look at it from the selfish perspective: their lack of contribution affects us. 

KeelWorks helps students transition to employment, others with some education practice in area related to experience to gain qualifications for greater responsibility. In both of these, thousands have come and left with paying jobs.

We are building the KeelMaster program to respond to the more challenged unemployed and under employed. This program requires comprehensive assessment to uncover and mitigate barriers as well as identify strengths. It then assigns to small facilitated teams where they learn eight core competencies (self-identify, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, assertiveness, team-building, goal determination, and goal management). Teams stay together with facilitation pursuing goals and supporting each other for as long as it takes for all to be stable in employment. 

The KeelMaster program has prompted the development of a learning management system, a participant environment, a participant record, and several other applications designed and developed by volunteers. Some of these we hope to offer as a vehicle for funding the foundation and an endowment fund. 

For every life we change, we affect families, generations, communities, and nations. We all need to contribute and feel we are a part of some solution. We all deserve satisfying work. 

Keelworks Foundation

A community based mobile haircare unit proudly serving Tucson, AZ. 

At Serve Society, we are dedicated to creating lasting change within the Tucson community by providing no-cost haircare services to individuals facing homelessness, those in recovery, and other underserved populations. Our mission goes beyond just offering haircuts—we aim to foster a sense of dignity and belonging, empowering individuals to feel confident and supported as they rebuild their lives.

Since our inception, we’ve worked tirelessly to build partnerships with local recovery programs and shelters, offering mobile services that meet people where they are. Our team of professional volunteers brings compassion and skill to every event, knowing that even the smallest acts of service can have a profound impact.

Every donation you make helps sustain our mobile unit and enables us to expand our reach, ensuring that those who need it most receive not only haircare but the hope that comes with being seen and cared for. With your support, we can continue to serve more individuals, provide opportunities for barbers to give back, and create a ripple effect of kindness throughout the community. Your donation isn’t just about a haircut; it’s about creating moments of empowerment, confidence, and connection. Together, we are helping individuals take the next step toward a brighter future.

Serve Society

Locally led. The last pot to boil. The last door to shut. A U.S. nonprofit (2024) focused on food, farming & survival in Gaza.

🍲 Gaza Soup Kitchen: Feeding 10,000 People Daily

As famine tightens its grip and markets collapse, Gaza Soup Kitchen is still boiling pots—feeding 1,000 people every day with dignity and determination.

We were the first soup kitchen in North Gaza to lean on local farmers and forage from nature to keep people alive. When others paused, we adapted. When supplies ran out, we improvised.

Today, we operate across 11 kitchens, run a community clinic, and deliver clean water and hot meals to hospitals—even in the hardest-hit zones.

This is survival work, done by people living through the very crisis they’re responding to.

Support the last pots still cooking. 

Gaza Soup Kitchen

Haven For Heros Inc is a nonprofit organization focused on housing and shelters. It is based in Fredericksbrg, VA. It received its nonprofit status in 2018.

Our goal is to end veteran homelessness. We believe no veteran should be without a place to call home.  Haven for Hero’s Inc. is a nonprofit organization, organized and operated exclusively to improve the lives of veterans and their families by providing housing and a pathway to homeownership for low-income veterans.

Our mission is to eliminate veteran homelessness by providing housing solutions and services that will empower and impact the lives of homeless and low-income veterans and their families.

Haven For Heros Inc

Providing support for people during natural disasters, cancer, education, and homeless. 

We provide immediate assistance and long support during natural disasters when people are forced to evacuate and/or their homes are destroyed leaving them in need of shelter, food, or water. 
We support cancer patients who are unable to pay for medical treatments, copayments, or after care assistance that may not be covered by their insurance. 
We support impoverished students who qualify for a higher education but cannot afford to pay tuition through grants and scholarships.  
We support the homeless by providing shelter, food, and water, as more people than ever are living on the streets without the basic necessities to survive. 
Our staff, volunteers, and those we serve work together to provide assistance to those in need due to circumstances beyond their control to empower the most vulnerable among us and improve their quality of life.

Opulent Philanthropy Inc.

Offering children in foster care and at-risk youth the chance to embrace a childhood filled with joy, growth, and belonging!

The RennerVation Foundation is dedicated to serving children in foster care and at-risk youth by providing them with a safe haven and targeted programs to develop their skills, confidence and opportunities.

We believe that every child deserves a chance to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their circumstances. Through a combination of mentorship, educational support, and enrichment programs, we strive to empower these youth to overcome challenges and build a brighter future.

Our mission is to create a community where all children feel valued, supported and inspired to achieve their dreams.

RennerVation Foundation

LifeStraw operates the Safe Water Fund, a 501(c)3 project, to support the provision of safe water where it is needed most.  

The Safe Water Fund operates as a 501(c)(3) project, supporting the implementation of long-term, sustainable safe water programs worldwide. We partner with grassroots organizations and local leaders to identify and reach communities and families most in need.

In addition to our retail-funded Give-Back program, the Safe Water Fund provides safe water during humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters. We also lead special initiatives in the cities where our employees live, including at our headquarters in Baltimore City, and participate in Giving Tuesday efforts each year.

**100% of donated funds go directly toward products and the distribution of safe water supplies. Vestergaard Frandsen, Inc. (d/b/a “LifeStraw”) does not profit from your donation.**

*The Safe Water Fund operates through a fiscal sponsorship with Players Philanthropy Fund, a Texas nonprofit recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (Federal Tax ID: 27-6601178, ppf.org/pp). Contributions to the Safe Water Fund qualify as tax-deductible.*

Your contribution helps us bring safe drinking water to more families. 

Thank you for your support!

LifeStraw Safe Water Fund

The Center for Student Missions (CSM) was founded in 1988 to  serve their cities through the lens of compassion and partnership. 

The Center for Student Missions (CSM) was founded in 1988 with a simple but powerful conviction: lasting change happens when people of faith experience and serve their cities through the lens of compassion and partnership.
What began as a single-city initiative has grown into a national network of ministry experiences that mobilize thousands of youth and adults each year to serve alongside local leaders and organizations meeting real community needs.

For more than three decades, CSM has worked to bridge the gap between short-term mission participants and the long-term ministries transforming urban neighborhoods from within. Through intentional orientation, contextual learning, hands-on service, and post-trip reflection, participants gain new perspectives on poverty, justice, and discipleship.
Each city program is locally led, ensuring that service opportunities are dignifying, sustainable, and aligned with the priorities of the community.

The Center For Student Missions

To alleviate hunger in Lincoln County by distributing healthy, nutritious food to our agency network & education empowerment.

Food Share of Lincoln County is one of 21 regional food banks in the Oregon Food Bank network.  Food Share of Lincoln County distributes food to its network of  local emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, produce drops, senior food box home delivery and other assistance agencies in addition to facilitating cooking classes and farmers' market tours..

Food Share of Lincoln County

We are NAMI Eastside the East King County, WA affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. #MentalHealthMatters



**Mission**

The mission of NAMI Eastside is to provide advocacy, education, support, and public awareness so that all people impacted by mental illness and mental health conditions can lead healthy and productive lives.

**Vision**

To serve as a source of hope, education, and meaningful support to those whose lives are impacted by mental health conditions.

**Values**

-    **Hope**: We believe in the possibility of recovery, wellness and the potential in all of us.
-    **Inclusion**: We embrace diverse backgrounds, cultures and perspectives.
-    **Empowerment**: We promote confidence, self-efficacy and service to our mission.
-    **Compassion**: We practice respect, kindness and empathy.
-    **Fairness**: We fight for equity and justice.

NAMI Eastside

Our mission is to protect LGBTQ+ youth in Poland from the harms of homelessness and refugeehood. 

The Warsaw House Foundation's mission is to protect homeless and refugee  LGBTQ+ youth in Poland and provide them with the tools they need to live independently. Our inspiration was the  Ali Forney Center  (AFC)  n NYC, which is largest organization in the world offering support to homeless LGBTQ+ youth. We are honored that Carl Siciliano, the AFC's founder is on the board of the Warsaw House Foundation and works as an advisor. We place extra attention on HIV and STI education, support and prevention with the help of board member Dr. Joanna Kubica and the Smart Life Clinic in Warsaw.  After we took in our first LGBTQ+ youth to house on February 14th, 2023  we have been flooded with calls for housing and support from young people in need.  These are Polish Trans 18 year-olds from the Polish countryside in desperate need to escape their abusive and intolerant homes, young queer people with PTSD and untreated mental illness who need housing and support immediately, LGBTQ+ refugees from Ukraine and several young gay men from Iraq who suffered torture in their homeland, were detained and imprisoned at the Polish/Belarussian border for up to two years, and are now trying to build their lives in Poland.  We are also housing and supporting young LGBTQ+ people from Uganda and Egypt,  We are raising money to support the young people under our care, to house and feed them and pay for their medical needs and courses needed for them to start an independent life,  We are also raising money to hire staff (all of WH's work is now done by volunteers), to continue the renovation of our residential building and for short term emergency rentals.  We have a committed and professional team and a well planned strategy for both emergency and long term care.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!! We will be in regular contact if you'd like to hear of our progress and  if you'll be in Warsaw, we'd be delighted to meet with you personally and show you the work we do.

Warsaw House Foundation

Four Winds Connections lives and loves radically at the intersection of human and animal well-being.


Four Winds Connections lives and loves radically at the intersection of human and animal well-being. We work within communities, support change, and invite healing through the human-animal bond.

Four Winds Connections preserves the human-animal bond through:

- [Affordable and accessible veterinary care for marginalized communities](https://www.fourwindsconnections.org/community-love.html)
- [Community partnerships](https://www.fourwindsconnections.org/tribal-partnerships.html)
- [Dog foster training](https://www.fourwindsconnections.org/reactive-dog-foster-training.html)
- [Dog training for underrepresented communities](https://www.fourwindsconnections.org/fostering-healing-series.html)
- [Pet food support](https://www.fourwindsconnections.org/northfield-pet-food-shelf.html)
- [Temporary pet homes for victim-survivors of domestic violence](https://www.fourwindsconnections.org/mn-pet-foster-coalition.html)

Four Winds Connections

New Hope Community Ministries is a faith-based NPO serving low-income residents in Haledon & Prospect Park, NJ. All are welcome.

**New Hope Community Ministries** is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering low-income families in Haledon and Prospect Park, NJ. We believe in holistic transformation—providing **food security, financial assistance, education, and supportive community programs** that equip individuals to thrive.

Through our **Food Pantry and The Harvest buying club**, we address food insecurity by offering nutritious options at no cost or reduced prices. Our **financial assistance programs** help families navigate crises, while **education and mentoring initiatives** provide essential skills for long-term success. We also foster **community connections** through support groups, case management, and resource navigation.

With your support, we can continue **feeding families, stabilizing households, and empowering individuals** to build a brighter future. Every donation fuels real change—providing food, resources, and hope to those who need it most. **Join us in making a lasting impact!**

New Hope Community Ministries

H.O.P.E., Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in New London, CT. H.O.P.E. has been creating affordable housing since 1994.

At H.O.P.E., Inc., we are committed to creating affordable housing for low-income families, with a special focus on "the working poor." Our mission is to provide housing opportunities that empower lifelong renters to become first-time homeowners. We strive to promote equity and break the cycle of generational poverty. Through our efforts, we aim to build stronger communities where everyone has the chance to thrive and achieve financial stability while establishing generational wealth for their families.

Quantifying H.O.P.E., Inc.'s impact is multifaceted. We directly manage 10 affordable housing rentals and annually construct or renovate 1-2 units, often two-family homes. These projects not only provide affordable homeownership opportunities but also rejuvenate neighborhoods plagued by blight. We help renters become homeowners with affordable rents and homeownership classes. This contributes to the growth and prosperity of New London County and fosters a community of tax-paying citizens, which lessens the burden on social services. Our efforts break the cycle of generational poverty, offering children the foundation for generational wealth. While difficult to measure in numbers, the lasting impact of our work reverberates through the lives we touch.





H.O.P.E., Inc

Blue Dragon is a grassroots charity with a mission of ending human trafficking in Vietnam. 

For over 20 years, Blue Dragon has been a leading agency in Vietnam’s fight against human trafficking, transforming the lives of thousands of children and families in need. 

Blue Dragon supports street children, children with disabilities, children from rural families living in extreme poverty and victims of human trafficking and slavery, We rescue them from exploitation and slavery and provide them with the long-term support they need to heal, thrive and build a better life. 

We believe that all children have the right to be children: to be safe, to attend school, to play, to be treated with respect, to be heard, to be understood and to be loved.

**Till September 2024, Blue Dragon has:**  

Rescued 1,654 people from trafficking

Represented 298 people in court cases

Sent 6,410 kids back to school & training 

Provided shelter to 1,829 girls & boys 

Placed 469 teens in jobs 

Served 690,557 meals 

Built 270 homes for families 

Reunited 838 runaways with their families 

Obtained legal papers for 13,544 people 

Played 3,660 games of soccer!



Blue Dragon Children's Foundation

Serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence, substance abuse, bereavement, and other causes of trauma for over 55 years

The mission of FCR is to provide a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment for all survivors of trauma, including those impacted by domestic and sexual violence, substance abuse, bereavement, and other causes. With the understanding that the aim of equality and justice is ongoing, we are committed to modeling diversity, inclusivity, and equity within our organization to reflect the communities in which we serve.

FCR services are offered consistent with our values of choice, acceptance, hope and dignity with the goal of helping children and adults along their path to safety, health, and well-being. We are committed to advancing policies and practices that promote diversity, inclusion, and retention of staff and services to clients of all racial, ethnic, gender identity, and socio-economic backgrounds and beliefs. Our goal is to ensure that a wide range of perspectives, experiences, skills, innovation, and decision-making abilities have a seat around the table and that all voices are heard. We know that the quest towards equity and social justice is long, and there may be challenges along the way, but we are dedicated to making that journey in the spirit of continuous learning, listening, and improvement.

Our vision is to inspire healthier communities free from family and community violence. Through our work in support of vulnerable populations, one day all children and adults will be able to thrive in a safe, just, and equitable world.

FCR, Inc. offers a wide array of multilingual services for child, adult and families who have experienced violence and trauma, serving over 2300 clients annually.

Programs and Services include:

- Domestic Violence - Victim Advocacy and Support Services
- 24-Hour Crisis Line
- Emergency Safe Home Services, and Rapid Re-housing Services
- Mental Health Services
- Women’s Support Groups, Parenting Support Groups
- Child Witness to Violence Counseling
- Supervised Visitation Centers
- Family Violence Offender Programs, Strong Fathers Groups
- Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Services 
- Outreach and Education Programs
- Teen Healthy Relationship Programs
- Intern & Volunteer Opportunities

Family and Community Resources, Inc.

Empower communities by providing essential resources and support, including back-to-school programs, meals for the homeless, holiday giveaways, and access to housing and food assistance, to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and adults. In addition, we are dedicated to protecting and supporting animals by promoting rescue and adoption initiatives, providing shelter resources, and advocating for the humane treatment and well-being of all animals in our communities.

IShowSpeed Foundation

Organized volunteers providing outreach to unhoused folks with urgent relief: warmth, food, humanity, and  connection to services.

Town Bizness exists to bring the necessities of a dignified human life to the unhoused population of Oakland and Berkeley, CA. 
These necessities include good food, reliable shelter, clothing, toiletries, bedding, and basic creature comforts such as safe propane stoves and heaters, radios, and more, depending on each client’s needs. 

We also assist with housing, and keeping folks connected to service providers by supplying telephones and monthly service. 

The majority of folks we serve were born where they now live in tents, and once had property ownership in their families here in the bay area, but no longer do. Most are seniors, and many of them are now sick and/or disabled. 

Town Bizness

City Relief exists to create connections for the hurting and homeless to resources and hope.

City Relief uses mobile resource centers to assist people dealing with poverty and homelessness. These outreaches happen eight times a week in different areas of New York City and New Jersey. We serve hot meals, provide hygiene kits and socks, help our guests to feel safe and comfortable, invite our guests into community with staff, volunteers and other guests, treat them with dignity and compassion, and provide an opportunity to speak to our trained staff who will connect them to life-changing resources and a community of care.

We exist thanks to private donations and for as little as $1.05, you can provide a meal for someone that would have to choose between eating and another necessity. You’ll also be creating a system of wrap-around, holistic care for people that desperately need someone to catch them once they’ve fallen. Thank you for your donation!

City Relief

The Homeless Resource Center offers rest and resources to those experiencing homelessness in Lawrence, Kansas.

The mission of the Homeless Resource Center is to offer a daily refuge with basic services to provide physical and emotional comfort for people who are experiencing homelessness.

Homeless Resource Center 

Jews, Christians, Muslims uniting to serve the poor.

Abrahamic Alliance International unites Jews, Christians, and Muslims for poverty relief and active peacebuilding. We began with a simple dream that compassionate collaboration between Jews, Christians, and Muslims can build lasting bridges of understanding and respect between our communities. By uniting to serve the poor in obedience to divine commands, our grassroots movement is showing the world that peaceful coexistence between Jews, Christians, and Muslims is not a naive and distant dream, but a growing and present reality here and now.

We envision a world where children of Abraham unite to save lives; where Jews, Christians and Muslims enjoy peaceful coexistence and mutual appreciation as our faith is deepened by meaningful encounters with each other; where understanding, humility and respect replace ignorance, arrogance and contempt; where diverse yet faithful worshipers of the God of Abraham move beyond dialogue to cooperative action, loving our neighbor together until the hungry are fed, the naked are clothed, the sick receive care and the orphan is raised with love, compassion and generosity. We envision a world where God's faithfulness to bless all nations through Abraham's offspring is expressed in wonderfully new and creative ways through Jews, Christians and Muslims striving to obey all that the prophets have spoken.

Abrahamic Alliance International

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We are a nonprofit, so we rely on the generosity of donors like you.

.css-1wjgqn{display:inline-block;--textSize:1.5rem;--lineHeight:1.7999999999999998rem;line-height:var(--lineHeight);font-size:var(--textSize);width:100%;}Housing & Homelessness

Ward 2 Mutual Aid

Gaza Soup Kitchen

Keelworks Foundation

Ward 2 Mutual Aid

Serve Society

Haven For Heros Inc

Housing & Homelessness