Mutual Aid vs. Donating to Charity: What’s the Difference?
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Over the summer, I stumbled upon a viral post from a thread that piqued my curiosity.
“Maybe it’s corny but if you’re worried about the state of this country I promise organizing/participating in mutual aid will make you feel better,” it read. “Having a sense of purpose and making a tangible difference to your neighbors is a million times better than Doom Skrolleng.”
I paused, my finger moving over my screen. I grabbed all those boxes: worried? Yes. To destroy? Obviously. Looking For A Way To Feel Better? Always.
As a personal finance reporter, I’m well versed in the ins and outs of traditional flipping: Benefits, deals, high fees, tax benefits, research to do before typing in my card number, et cetera. But that post impressed me.
How does helping differ from donating money to feeding?
Una Osili, now the Senior Director of Philanthropy, strategy and operations at Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, tells me that it is not very basic, basic aid is a community-based way to support needs in society. This may sound repetitive, but emphasizing a specific, differentiated focus is important.
At Mutual Aid, “people come together to help support each other without relying on non-profits and governments,” she said. “The idea is that institutions don’t need to mediate this kind of aid.”
One of the biggest criticisms of traditional organizations is that they rely on structured, almost hierarchical systems. With kindness, a person in need may want to find and apply to open financial support, which can cause more pressure and / or entrapment when already struggling.
Through Mutual Aid, they (rightly) enter into an exchange of more services.
“There is a sense of the ability to solve problems effectively without confrontation and see tangible results or the impact you have on someone in need,” Osili said. “It can be in real time. So I don’t need to call the government… [or] Fill out the form. I could just say, ‘I need a ride,’ and it would appear. “
Mutual aid is far from new. It has a long history – One example is the mutualistas in Texas in the late 1800s – but it rose to prominence during the epidemic.
This is true in general: With the 19 justice and racial protests that opened the death of George Floyd, but the closing of the Butherting to the Chirtucrats has sparked the efforts of the Grassroots, with more than 1,000 groups helping to get out across the country.
Vain people posted in special Facebook groups Asking for a ride to the hospital; Volunteers organized food deliveries according to Google sheet schedules. Mutual Aid took forms such as sharing wifi routers, providing free vet care, fast community fridges and more.
Part of the reason it worked – and continues to work – is that “people build bridges of trust based on mutually beneficial partnerships,” said Stephanie Reabick, President of the United Nations Network of Aid, or People.
That’s another way in which charity differs from Charity: Networks like people with broader goals around the distribution of wealth, moving from an economy built on scarcity and many people working with them and approaching work differently than they do now.
“We want to cooperate with a business that cooperates with this standard and use Mutual Aid – Time Banking, Sharing, other credit methods that we agree on [and] Complementary funds – enabling a better flow of materials, skills, time and resources from where there is a need,” he said.
To be sure, mutual aid is not a panacea for everything. Challenges include the potential for bankruptcy and challenges with valuation. Osili says that when the Aid Org grows to thousands of members, it can be difficult to coordinate efforts and track compliance.
Although multual assistance is very good in providing quick relief (like the wild times of California), says Osili, long water problems, such as Flint water) often respond to the combination and evaluation. In these cases, poor performance often has access to data that can identify pockets of demand and the infrastructure to serve it, he said.
But it still seems engaging.
I don’t have to have a lot of money (or anything else) to help my neighbors. Relecki suggests checking out this Mutual Aid 101 study series or signing up at MutualaidNetwork.org. Ushili recommends thinking about causes that connect with me and finding out how I can contribute to my local support network.
When people connect with the help of nothing, they start to ‘realize how many people around the world have the same kind of vision and desire,’ he says, “you give money, which helps you realize that most of us are united, even if we see it.”
Bottom line
Mutual Aid is the exchange of resources with a lower barrier to entry than traditional countermeasures. It is community-driven and draws on the diverse skills of its members to provide global support. Mutual Aid can be a feasible, hands-on way to make a difference alongside my traditional contributions to profit.
Osili says: “Level the playing field. “We all have access to the same information, [and if] I see you need help, and I can help you, we close the loop that way. “
More from money:
Tax breaks for charitable donations go back to 150 million Americans
Bethenny Francel on why you should approach giving as an investment
What should I do with the inheritance?
