FREE LUNCH COLLECTIVE
in solidarity with PORTLAND houseless communities since 2018
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"...organizing around community building and food access for all." |
"A bunch of anarchists who bring lunch to our neighbors." |
The "Who, what, where, when & why " of free Lunch Collective :
WHO we are: Individuals participating in mutual aid, standing in solidarity with unhoused communities
WHAT we do: We distribute 900+ lunches (along with other basic need/essential supplies) every week
WHERE we are: In East Portland (St. John’s, Delta Park, Morrison/Stark, Lloyd, Powell, and Sellwood)
WHEN we do it: We prepare and distribute food and supplies 3x/week- from morning until afternoon
WHY we exist To directly combat social inequalities, and build community outside of traditional means
WHAT we do: We distribute 900+ lunches (along with other basic need/essential supplies) every week
WHERE we are: In East Portland (St. John’s, Delta Park, Morrison/Stark, Lloyd, Powell, and Sellwood)
WHEN we do it: We prepare and distribute food and supplies 3x/week- from morning until afternoon
WHY we exist To directly combat social inequalities, and build community outside of traditional means
ART BY SETH TOBOCMAN
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mutual aid: 101
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THE PLAN - (1) Contact local plant stores for donations (2) Advertise (3) Sell plants (4) Buy/Distribute cold weather gear
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My name is Emily Leopold. The project I did for this capstone was to organize and host a fundraiser (with help from another volunteer). The event took place on Sunday, October 2021 at Irving Park in NE Portland. We raised over $1,700 for Free Lunch Collective. All of the money raised will be spent to supplement efforts in helping unhoused people stay alive this winter (cold weather supplies & hot food).
Free Lunch Collective functions as a mutual aid group whose focus is on supporting unhoused communities in East Portland. Their mission to help people meet basic needs is achieved in creative ways separate from the harmful ways of capitalism.
I began (regularly) volunteering at Free Lunch Collective in July of 2020. The daily protests were physically and emotionally exhausting. It felt ineffective and unsustainable. I wanted to continue fighting for human rights and for racial justice in ways that would not put me at risk of imminent burn-out. I wanted to contribute to creating structural and societal change in ways that were more sustainable. Free Lunch Collective's non-hierarchical structure was in-line with my beliefs/ideologies (compared to other non-profits I was volunteering for). Not only did I feel better while doing the work, but the work I was doing felt better. It felt important. Free Lunch Collective puts the concepts of mutual aid and decentralization into practice. Being part of Free Lunch Collective changed me at my core. If you participate with Free Lunch Collective, I promise that you will find yourself with endless opportunities to become an effective agent of change.
The funds raised from this event have allowed me to strengthen the trust and relationships I have built and maintained with all of the individuals I've brought lunches and supplies to through the year. For example, being able to afford specific supplies they're in need of.
I began (regularly) volunteering at Free Lunch Collective in July of 2020. The daily protests were physically and emotionally exhausting. It felt ineffective and unsustainable. I wanted to continue fighting for human rights and for racial justice in ways that would not put me at risk of imminent burn-out. I wanted to contribute to creating structural and societal change in ways that were more sustainable. Free Lunch Collective's non-hierarchical structure was in-line with my beliefs/ideologies (compared to other non-profits I was volunteering for). Not only did I feel better while doing the work, but the work I was doing felt better. It felt important. Free Lunch Collective puts the concepts of mutual aid and decentralization into practice. Being part of Free Lunch Collective changed me at my core. If you participate with Free Lunch Collective, I promise that you will find yourself with endless opportunities to become an effective agent of change.
The funds raised from this event have allowed me to strengthen the trust and relationships I have built and maintained with all of the individuals I've brought lunches and supplies to through the year. For example, being able to afford specific supplies they're in need of.
University Studies: the four Goals
- (Diversity) in personal experiences, identities and tactics. (Equity and Social Justice): Free Lunch Collective's goals/missions.
- (Inquiry and Critical Thinking): we took several factors into consideration when planning for the fundraiser. We had to think critically when discussing location/time/day. This meant planning for the unknown. We had to acknowledge and accept the fact that not everything would be in our control (like the weather, and/or the outcome of the fundraiser). Other aspects of planning and organizing for this event also required critical thinking skills. Examples of details included acquiring the plants, advertising, pricing, preparing, setting/cleaning-up, and all of the other logistical components you'd expect when putting on such an event. The need for critical thinking remained after the event. We've had to make thoughtful decisions about how to spend the money.
- (Communication): To spread the word about our fundraiser, we posted physical flyers around the city. We also relied on word of mouth and social media to advertise the sale. There was a point in planning at which communication got in the way of moving in a forward direction. Conversation with another Free Lunch Collective volunteer about a last-minute location change (due to weather) became harmful and unproductive. Miscommunications, problems in process, and hurt feelings were resolved (post-fundraiser) by use of non-violent communication skills, and by having in-person conversations rather than via text. While these communication issues created turmoil and stress- in the end, they provided enlightenment and development.
- (Ethics, Agency and Community) Organizing this event required initiative, investment, interest and internal motivation. We made decisions as individuals and collectively (as a group). We kept ethics in mind when pricing plants, opting to price lower than what the plants would've otherwise sold for. To achieve this goal of keeping things fairly priced, we turned to the community for help in supplying a large amount of what we were going to sell. We relied on community to care about our cause and support it.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN...
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