FAQ

What is West Brooklyn Waterfront Mutual Aid (WBWMA)? 

WBWMA is a grassroots community collective, consisting of a group of volunteers in Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and the Columbia Waterfront. Originally built in response to the COVID-19 crisis, we now operate as a network of neighbors working to keep each other safe in times of crisis.  

What is a mutual aid? 

Mutual aids aspire to create solidarity among community members by supporting each other’s needs. You can read more about the principles of mutual aid here.

Is there a charge for your help?

No, we are providing this help absolutely free. The only costs are for any goods our volunteers will be purchasing on your behalf. 

What if I can’t afford to pay for the groceries/items I need?

Please get in touch with us! If you need help paying for groceries, we have a small fund that can cover the cost of the items you need (up to $50). If we can’t cover your groceries, we will try to direct you to an organization that can better help you. You can also check out our Resources page which has info on meal hubs and food pantries here. 

How long will it take for my delivery to arrive?

After you contact us we immediately reach out to our network of volunteers to find someone to fulfill your order. The availability of our volunteers impacts the rate at which we can fulfill your request.  Sometimes we can do it on the same day, sometimes it may take 1-2 days or more than a week. 

Can I place an order on behalf of someone else?

Of course! Just make sure you provide the contact name, number and address of the person the request is for.  

Do I tip my delivery person?

There is no need to tip. We are providing this help absolutely free. If you would instead like to donate, visit our donation page.

I want to help out—where do I start?

Amazing! 

If you’d like to volunteer, go to wbwmutualaid.org/give-help and complete the volunteer sign-up form. Once you sign up, you’ll be invited to our Slack workspace, where we communicate about requests and share ideas and resources to meet the needs of our community. Once on Slack, you can join any of the channels you’d like (dispatch, fundraising etc.), and choose where you can help out. There are many ways to help out your community, several of which you can do without leaving your home. 

If you’d like to donate, you can do so through our Open Collective page here. Your tax-deductible donation helps us to purchase food, medicine, and essential items that members of our community need but cannot afford. 

If you’d like to donate items such as PPE, diapers, food or other supplies, please contact wbwmutualaid@gmail.com. 

I’ve signed up to volunteer and need to know how to use Slack.

Great! Check out the tutorials we’ve created here.

I’ve signed up to volunteer but I don’t know what to do now! 

That’s totally fair! Email wbwmutualaid@gmail.com, and we’ll get you in touch with a volunteer coordinator who can guide you through the process.