As a socially organized species, humans have long provided various forms of formal and informal aid to one another in times of crisis. Our empathy can be triggered by the suffering of others -- particularly others with whom we identify. That empathy can then drive a wide range of pro-social behavior to help others in need.
In Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution, Russian scientist Peter Kropotkin critiques capitalist and feudal systems for defining human order through competition alone despite bountiful evidence of cooperation in the face of a hostile natural environment. Kropotkin does not deny that competition occurs in the face of limited resources, but argues that our natural sociable inclinations towards cooperation and mutual support are underserved by focusing exclusively on the self-interested individual.
LaneHelp is a real-time civic information platform for Lane County that connects people to shelters, food, housing, transportation, alerts, and local services through a live, searchable public system built to reduce the “goose chase” of finding help.
ICERR is community sourced information to help connect you with a rapid response team in your area. If you see ICE call your local Rapid Response team to notify them of any activity you see.
Download the playbook to learn how we built local defense networks, turned fear into power, and organized to step out of the shadows – into the light – to bring about a new day for all of us.
Our community-sourced, volunteer-curated library is a growing collection of the many resources available to New Yorkers. Mutual Aid NYC is committed to building a comprehensive list of high-quality resources.
Wir setzen uns unabhängig von Parteistrukturen für konkrete Umgestaltung, Aufwertung oder Erhalt von öffentlichem Raum in Wien im Sinne von Klimaschutz, Gesundheit, aktiver Mobilität, Begrünung, Lebensqualität und Verkehrsberuhigung ein.
Watch The Med is an online mapping platform to monitor the deaths and violations of migrants’ rights at the maritime borders of the EU. The WatchTheMed project was initiated as part of the 2012 Boats4People campaign in the Central Mediterranean. Today the project further involves a wide network of organisations, activists and researchers.
Through the transnational cooperation with migrants’ rights organisations, activists, researchers, migrants, seafarers active in, around and beyond the Mediterranean and the use of new mapping technologies, WatchTheMed aims to document the deaths and violations that are the structural product of the militarized Southern European border regime. The online map allows to spatialise incidents across the complex legal and political geography of the Mediterranean Sea. Through the accounts of survivors and witnesses, but also the analysis of ocean currents, winds, mobile phone data and satellite imagery, it is possible to determine in which Search and Rescue zone, jurisdictions and operational areas an incident occurred – as well as showing other boats who were in the vicinity of those in distress. Spatialising such information is essential to determine responsibility for violations at sea. Apart from reconstructing past events, the participatory nature of the platform allows many different actors to to indicate ongoing situations of distress.
The documentation generated by WatchTheMed seeks to support the work of organisations that defend migrants’ rights, inform migrants of their rights and security at sea, pressure authorities into respecting their obligations at sea, support the ongoing campaigns by the relatives of the dead and disappeared at sea, and support legal proceedings against those who violated the rights of migrants.
The Welcome Alliance is an alliance of civil society organizations, foundations, state institutions and companies initiated by ProjectTogether. Our goal is humane, needs-oriented and sustainable integration and participation of all new immigrants in Germany.
"Sudan Safe Passages, a volunteer group of local and diaspora Sudanese, has built an app called Amen, said Hiba Sharief, a Silicon Valley veteran and senior technology executive at Amazon Web Services. Amen uses crowdsourced data to send real-time updates on secure transport routes and hospital availability." - Damilare Dosunmu
"Just three days after the war started, Sudanese market intelligence firm DataQ launched a platform called Nidaa (meaning “call for help” in Arabic). It allows people in distress to post their requirements — from money and groceries to medical services and a ride to safety — so volunteers can reach out to them."
Information about Astoria Food Pantry in Astoria, Queens, NY. We are a mutual aid group and provide food, clothes, books, diapers and more, as well as community events and a space where artists and organizers can work.
Inspired by the help that people give each other during hard times, we created an application that will allow anyone in need to find help in their daily duties.
Civic Tech Field Guide