Mutual aid is not a substitute for the effective provision of social services, but policymakers can still learn from community aid networks. These groups, like Bed-Stuy Strong (BSS)—a Brooklyn-based mutual aid network—quickly organized and mobilized during the pandemic to generate flexible, far-reaching responses despite extremely limited time and resources.
Though the mutual aid model is not the same as a service model utilized by government agencies, it is nevertheless important for policymakers to understand the importance of trust and perception particularly concerning the provision of social services. Negative experiences or perceptions of government services can decrease trust and turn people away from programs designed to help them.
Mutual aid work demonstrates the importance of dynamism, flexibility, and human-centered design in work that directly promotes community welfare. By actively working to center people at every point in the service provision process, organizations can build trust among their constituents and tap into the enormous wealth of communities’ social infrastructure, ultimately better serving those in need.