Grocery Shop for West Brooklyn Mutual Aid
Many of us connect over and dedicate our lives to food, and there are neighbors in our communities who struggle with food access every day. On November 1st, many will lose access to SNAP benefits with the government shutdown and.
Join me in a group shop to deliver groceries to our neighbors in West Brooklyn. More about the organization & schedule for the day below.
You do not have to pay for groceries - groceries will be covered by the WBMA fund. You also do not need a car - we will have those with cars drive a few of us at a time.
Two years ago I started volunteering with West Brooklyn Waterfront Mutual Aid, a group in our area providing assistance to our neighbors who need it the most. We shop for and provide aid in paying for food and other essential items. I frequently shop for women who live at the local YWCA, a community center that offers a safe haven for survivors of gender-based violence, an opportunity for teens and immigrant women to enhance their lives, and a hub for advocacy and community action. Beyond providing groceries, I get to meet them and hear about their day. There are many neighbors I now know by name and who brighten my day with their stories. You can read more about WBWMA Here.
With our current budget, a family of 1 has a grocery budget of just $75 every three weeks. A family of 3 gets a budget of $100. If you think about how much you might spend at Whole Foods each week, you can start to get a sense of just how little this really is.
But the biggest issue WBWMA faces besides budget is a lack of volunteers with time to help get our neighbors the groceries they need, often resulting in neighbors waiting months between their requests.
Let's come together and get neighbors the help they need!
Schedule:
11am: Meet at the Wegman's in Downtown Brooklyn
11:30am: Erica will hand out shopping assignments & send you off to fulfill your list!
12:30pm: Pack up groceries to volunteer cars & head out to deliver (once we know how many cars are available, I will assign groups)
1:30pm: Head home or gather at a local bar for a bite to eat.