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a question on organizing strategy and mutual aid (hexbear.net)

submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I've noticed that mutual aid efforts in an org often focus on directing aid outside the organization, essentially operating as a charity. Additionally, many leftist orgs are quite small and could benefit from additional membership.

I'm wondering if it might be better for a mutual aid org to focus its aid efforts internally? It is mutual aid after all. Please understand, I recognize that helping one's community is worthwhile, but an org focusing aid internally materially benefits the self-interest of its members. If one sees material benefit to joining a group surely they're more likely to join?

Am I off base here? Seems like an idea worth developing.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 23 hours ago

Main mutual aid thing I've been part of is meal prep/distribution. Mostly people gravitated towards set roles they enjoyed: picking up food from stores/farms, preparing food, cleaning up, distributing food. We always made sure that everyone involved got food if they wanted it, whether hot meal or random groceries from the pickups. Also, we happily accepted donations of whatever people were willing to offer, even though it might only be a couple dollars from someone destitute. We'd use it to buy packaging/spices/supplies. There was a constant refrain of 'solidarity, not charity' and we would do what we could to embody it.