10 Ways To Give Back: Realty Collective Celebrates the Work of Red Hook Mutual Aid
Nov 27, 2023 10waystogiveback,brooklyn,brooklyn real estate,give back,gratitude,nonprofit
As part of our celebration of the holidays — and as a thank you to the larger community that supports us all year long — Realty Collective is proud to feature the work of key non-profit organizations making the borough (and beyond) better every day. We’ve selected 10 non-profits to highlight and we encourage everyone to learn a bit about their respective missions and, if possible, to join us in making a small monetary donation to further their work. We thank them for everything they do and thank you for supporting a small, woman-owned Brooklyn business for nearly 20 years.
Have you heard of mutual aid? The concept has been around a long time but many people may not have heard the term. Essentially, mutual aid is a people-driven cooperative and reciprocal system of support based on shared needs, resources, and solidarity — and it’s something we at Realty Collective believe in strongly. That’s why we wanted to support a mutual aid organization and few do it better than Red Hook Mutual Aid (RHMA), right here in our Brooklyn neighborhood.
According to its website, RHMA goal to establish accessible and inclusive ways to share resources and support vulnerable neighbors with what they need, as well as build a shared understanding of why people do not have what they need. Mutual aid is as much about addressing immediate needs as it is about building solidarity. Under capitalism, social problems resulting from exploitation and the maldistribution of resources are understood as individual moral failings, not systemic problems. We are aware that the systems we have in place will not meet those needs, so we work in conjunction with community-based organizations to help distribute resources and information.”
There’s no doubt that traditional non-profits and governmental organizations are a help but mutual aid presents an opportunity for individuals to directly help other individuals, which is why we felt it was crucial to support them this holiday season. If this kind of approach appeals to you, there are so many ways you can get involved — whether by donating, partnering, or volunteering. Don’t live in Red Hook? There’s likely a mutual aid group near you too that could use your help, so please check it out!