Volunteer with vehicle needed on Saturday afternoons

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About Sunnyside/Woodside Mutual Aid

Location:

5240 39th Drive Apt 10U, Woodside, NY 11377, US

Mission Statement

Sunnyside & Woodside Mutual Aid (SWMA) is a group of neighbors acting collectively to address community needs and take care of each other. We value care and support community-based action outside of existing structures of governments, electoral politics, and charities. We acknowledge and sometimes collaborate with the many existing communities and organizations that call Sunnyside and Woodside home. We embrace these guiding principles in our mission: - We recognize the long history of mutual aid in New York City and throughout the world - We are responsible to each other - We center racial justice, social equity, cultural respect, and environmental ethics We live these values by: - Utilizing consensus building, community-based decision-making, and a horizontal structure - Prioritizing accessibility and transparency - Being accountable to and investing our time in the surrounding community

Description

Sunnyside/Woodside Mutual Aid (SWMA) has been working in our community since 2000. The organization was launched at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 when community members saw a dire need to address food insecurity. Initially a hot food kitchen was established at St. Jacobus church, and the organization expanded to include three pop-up pantry tables where groceries are given out to members of the community. Over the years the activities have reduced somewhat as the food insecurity in the community declined somewhat. Today the organization still staffs and serves two pop-up pantry tables every Saturday afternoon. The organization has also expanded to provide English as a Second Language services to the community at St. Jacobus church in Elmhurst.