“Alleviating women’s poverty is a critical feminist issue. Yet when we talk about hunger and food insecurity, we rarely talk about it in these terms. Why? Because in many mainstream feminist circles, the people talking about these issues don’t know what it is to be food-insecure in the long term. Things like food stamp challenges, where someone lives on a budget similar to that of someone living on food stamps for a week or a month, make good stunts, but they don’t influence public policy. If anything, people who engage in those stunts are more likely to pat themselves on the back for making it through and perhaps donate to their local food bank, and then forget the problem exists.”
- Mikki Kendall, Hood Feminism
SQWM’s mutual aid work is based entirely on a community effort to bring support, joy, and relief to our fellow neighbors. We have been able to directly impact so many women and families and their love and resilience have all greatly impacted us in return.
SQWM’s mutual aid work was built on the premise of addressing the communities needs on a consistent basis and responding directly to it in a culturally sensitive way. We are members of the community gathering together for the community in a mutually beneficial way. Since our inception we have been able to provide relief to the community through coat drives, pantries, and resource relief after tragedies such as the Richmond Hill fires in December 2020 and in June 2022, the latter which took the life of three local residents.
Our drives have been ingrained in our organization’s planning since the beginning. These efforts offer a way for community members to pool their resources and give back to other members who may be struggling at the time. It also offers a sustainable way to repurpose items that otherwise are wasted.
The pandemic greatly affected nonprofit planning around Queens and left families that relied on coat drives at a loss for where to go. We were able to collect and distribute coats for all age groups, genders, and styles across 3 boroughs of NYC. Since then we have also conducted toy drives, Halloween costume drives, and culturally sensitive clothing drives. Many times, women in families that are experiencing hardship are forced to prioritize the needs of their family before being able to enjoy new beautiful things. Our clothing drives allow them to get the joy that they deserve and be able to experience their children’s excitement when they receive a new toy without the constant financial burden they have to sift through.
Our membership base has made it possible for us to quickly and efficiently address family needs as they arise. When the Richmond Hill fires devastated families in our neighborhood, we were able to pool resources and provide clothes, coats, cleaning supplies, food, school supplies and more to the families within the days following the fire. We were able to offer immediate solace to families who had lost so much overnight.
In 2023, we hosted our first prom dress giveaway, affording girls an opportunity to attend their high school prom and reducing barriers to their attendance such as costs. We also continue to host our annual back to school drive and school supplies giveaway. In 2023, we hosted our first food drive. Donations will be used to create fall holiday baskets for low-income residents, including elderly and disabled individuals and families.
Spotlight on SQWM Pop-Up Food Pantries & Essential Distributions
South Queens Women’s March recognizes that, ideally, pop-up pantries should not be fixtures in a community but also face the sobering reality that with food shortages and insecurity, the needs we seek to fill existed before the pandemic and will continue far beyond. Historically, government-funded pantries in the South Queens area have seen a lack of cultural competency, despite the fact that there are many from various backgrounds in South Queens who have lived there for decades. Many community members that SQWM serves are undocumented and justifiably reticent to accept government services, however because SQWM’s events are run for community and operated by community, the organization has built up a sense of trust among recipients. SQWM has hosted monthly giveaways in the underserved minority communities of South Richmond Hill, South Jamaica, St. Albans, Laurelton, and South Ozone Park. Each of SQWM’s giveaways serves 200 families groceries and other essentials (PPE, menstrual supplies and safe sex products). Regarding period poverty, as low-income and working class individuals and families face increased economic difficulties, period supplies can be among the first items eliminated to cut corners. These basic necessities become optional. To promote recreation and literacy SQWM has offered free books and toys. At all of SQWM’s giveaways, the organization provides add-ons of culturally responsive foods, fresh produce and staple root vegetables.
Supporting Community Fridges
One of our longest running projects has been with the community fridges located all around South Queens. Community fridges offer families a way to get the groceries they need in a direct, quick, and continuous way. We have been able to continue stocking and cleaning the fridges on a weekly basis, helping the community keep alive these very important resources. We are able to directly support families on a weekly basis by providing nutritious, healthy, free grocery options. We have also consistently held street clean up in various locations around Queens to support our community in preserving the beautiful streets that raised us. Coming together and helping beautify our neighborhoods has created long lasting relationships with community members that live around the borough.
Community Cleanups
We have also consistently held street clean ups in various locations around Queens to support our community in preserving the beautiful streets that raised us. Coming together and helping beautify our neighborhoods has created long lasting relationships with community members that live around the borough.