NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — “Times are tough. We take care of us.”
In early November, Kashish Ali posted those words to her Instagram story as part of a yearslong practice she’s had to fundraise for food and drop it off at community fridges in Atlanta, where she’s from, and now in New York, where she lives. Ali, who is 32 and a first generation Pakistani immigrant, estimated that her friends and family have trusted her with thousands of dollars over the past couple of years.
For her, it’s a practice of giving back and creating connection. It’s also part of a growing interest in grassroots efforts to meet community needs that many call “ mutual aid.” Often, mutual aid just comes down to neighbors helping neighbors, and as many face high prices, cuts to government programs and political uncertainty, organizers say interest has swelled. Donating effort or time to mutual aid organizing is also another way to mark GivingTuesday, which falls on Dec. 2 this year, and has become a major day to support nonprofits.
Ali first noticed a fridge on the street outside of a brewery in Atlanta in 2021 and got in touch with the organizers via social media. She completed a brief volunteer orientation, joined a group text chat and then posted on her Instagram that she would buy and drop off groceries.
“I ended up raising $700 in like three to four hours, which was insane,” she said.
Now, Ali doesn’t think of her grocery runs as volunteering but rather as a habit engrained in her life that directly connects to those around her. She said when she starts putting granola bars, fruit or yogurt into a fridge, people immediately come around to look, chat and grab something to eat.
Afterwards, Ali posts her grocery receipts and photos of the filled fridge to her Instagram account.
“What I noticed was a lot of my friends and family and coworkers and colleagues, they all want to get involved. They want to give back,” she said. “But sometimes donating your cash or money to whatever organization, you don’t really see what happens with it per se, especially not immediately. So this was a way to get almost instant gratification.”
One of the principles of mutual aid is that it welcomes everyone. There’s no need to show an ID or prove income or residency, and most often, the organizers of these types of very local projects are all volunteers. Organizers are also often re