South Lake Tahoe Mutual Aid

What is Mutual Aid?

Mutual aid is a form of solidarity-based support where community members come together to meet each other's needs. It's about neighbors helping neighbors, creating networks of care and support that strengthen our community.

Mutual aid is built on principles of cooperation, reciprocity, and collective care. It recognizes that we all have something to contribute and that we all may need support at different times in our lives.

What Mutual Aid Is Not

Mutual aid is not charity. It's not a one-way relationship where some people give and others receive. Instead, it's a reciprocal system where everyone can both give and receive support.

Mutual aid is not about means-testing or determining who "deserves" help. It operates on the principle that everyone deserves support and that we're all better off when we take care of each other.

Mutual aid is not a replacement for government services or social safety nets. It's a complementary approach that builds community resilience and creates networks of support that exist alongside formal systems.