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“We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
 

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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On this MLK Day, as our city is occupied by military in response to white supremacist violence, we center our community and our relationships with one another as crucial parts of our work for a more just future.

Mutual aid is about recognizing we can make change right now, while also fighting for better systems. This work nourishes us in the short term, to sustain our fight in the long term.

Today we invite you to step up how you are involved in Ward 4 Mutual Aid as the new year gets underway. More information about what we’re up to and how you can get more involved are below.

Stay safe and stay healthy. In solidarity,

Ward 4 Mutual Aid

As 2021 gets under way W4MA is expanding our work begin providing needed supplies to unhoused neighbors. Find us outside Yes! Organic Market every week on Saturdays from 2-5pm.

Help give unhoused neighbors everything they need. Make a donation specifically for unhoused resources and you’ll provide socks, tents, thermals, and other needed items. Make it monthly to support this team all year long:

This team also needs volunteers to work our table each week! Connect in the #unhoused-advocacy channel on Slack to get involved.

Redistribute your stimulus check

If you are still employed and collecting regular pay, consider donating your stimulus check to a neighbor. Sign up to be matched with a partner in our stimulus redistribution program:

2020 recap

Our work started in 2020, and as we close the books on last year we wanted to look back at some of what we accomplished together.

• In 2020 neighbors donated more than $150,000 to Ward 4 Mutual Aid. In the face of collective crisis, our community stepped up and created a new, resilient network of support.
• That money has supported more than 6,000 neighbors and families with food, diapers, bills, and other essential needs.
• Making that work possible has been a team of more than 400 volunteers, working in solidarity with one another, with responsibility shared equally.
• Together we distribute hundreds of grocery boxes each week, and over the course of the year have made thousands of deliveries to neighbors in need of support. 
• During the holidays we matched nearly 300 households for holiday support with gifts, coats, food, and lots of direct cash for bills and gifts. “Water bills, light bills, have been paid off — honestly it’s been amazing,” said Julianne, who coordinated many of the matches. “This was totally spontaneous and thanks to everyone it’s been an awesome experience of wealth redistribution/direct aid.”
• At the end of the year we also distributed more than $10,000 in cash directly to neighbors. This will be a larger priority for us in the months ahead. To get on the waiting list for cash assistance, call the Ward 4 Helpline at (202) 681-3098.

Our supply teams are here every week no matter what. And as the new year begins we’re setting out to inspire 100 neighbors to become monthly donors to W4MA. 

Becoming a monthly donor — even if it’s just $5 — will help our supply teams plan more predictably, and help make sure we always have what neighbors need. It’s a way to put your values into action at this start of the year:

Resources

The Black Worker storytelling project

“Your story can help lift up Black workers’ expertise on issues of unemployment before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Create a video or write your story describing the experiences you have had navigating unemployment and underemployment. Share how you and your loved ones have been affected and your dreams for the future.”

Access to healthcare for the transgender community during the COVID-19 pandemic

“The purpose of this research study is to see how access to care for the transgender community has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. You are being asked to take part in a research study because you are over 18 years of age, live in the U.S., and identify as transgender.”

Conway Health and Resource Center

24-Hour Nurse Advice Line: (202) 540-9857

“At this 50,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, our friendly and knowledgeable staff knows good health requires a team who understands your needs and services that fit your family’s schedule. We want to be your medical home and offer urgent same day appointments, as well as all appointments within three days. Free parking is available!”

Ward 4 Helpline: Text or call (202) 681-3098. Se habla Español.

Groceries and supplies are available for anyone on Wednesdays from 5-7pm and Saturdays from 12-2pm at Brightwood Park United Methodist Church, 744 Jefferson St. NW. No appointment or signup needed.