1.What is Mutual Aid?
“Mutual aid is where a group of people organize to meet their own needs, outside of the formal frameworks of charities, NGOs and government. It is, by definition, a horizontal mode of organizing, in which all individuals are equally powerful. There are no ‘leaders’ or unelected ‘steering committees’ in mutual aid projects; there is only a group of people who work together as equals.
Mutual aid isn’t about “saving” anyone; it’s about people coming together, in a spirit of solidarity, to support and look out for one another.”
– from Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK
2. Who is Mutual Aid MH?
We are a neighbourhood community network, open to anyone to join. We connect requests for assistance with offers of support in order to build more resilient communities. We work together in solidarity, not charity.
3. Is this Mutual Aid network going to continue to exist after the global pandemic is over?
So long as the community can benefit from supporting one another, whether in crisis or not, we want to be there. Mutual aid networks have been an intrinsic part of small, communal societies universal to humanity’s ancient past.
4. Is Mutual Aid MH registered as or affiliated with a religious organization, charity or political group?
We are not an NGO, nor a charity. Local groups are not officially affiliated with us, though we support their work. We are not affiliated to any political or religious groups. We are united in a belief that social inclusion creates strong and resilient communities.
5. Do you offer medical support?
No we cannot offer medical support. If you want to know if you should be tested for COVID-19, please use this self-assessment tool.
For up to date health information in 11 languages about COVID-19, please click here. There is information about the disease, what to do if you think you have it, how to self-isolate, and more. For other health information please click here.
If you require emergency medical assistance call 911 immediately.
If you would like to speak with a registered nurse call Health Link at 811.
6. Do you offer mental health support?
No we cannot offer any mental health advice. However, if you could benefit from a phone call for a friendly chat to ease loneliness through this very difficult time then please fill out the Request for Support form.
If you need professional mental health help, please view these pages where you can get help during tough COVID-19 times in Alberta.
If you are feeling stress, anxiety, or depression because of COVID-19, please text COVID19HOPE to 393939 to subscribe to a new Alberta Health Services program Text4Hope – a FREE service providing three months of daily Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)–based text messages written by mental health therapists.
You can also access a set of videos with Dr. Nicolas Mitchell on how to deal with stress and talking to kids about COVID-19.
Some important numbers include:
- Income Supports – 1-866-644-5135
- Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter 24/7 helpline: 403-529-1091. Free support to individuals impacted by family violence and abuse:
- Addiction Helpline – 1-866-332-2322
- Community Resources – 211 Alberta
- Kids Help Phone – 1-800-668-6868
- Mental Health Helpline – 1-877-303-2642
- MyHealth.Alberta.ca: List of Important Numbers
- Toll Free Crisis Line / Distress Centres
7. Do you offer financial support?
Currently Mutual Aid MH is a volunteer page. We do not bring in funds nor do we provide funds. However, if we receive many requests for something in particular we may try to accept donations and distribute. (ex. A used laptop drive and internet donations for those that usually use computers at the library and cannot access federal and provincial online supports)
8. How do I pay for goods (ie. grocery delivery through Mutual Aid MH)?
This can be an agreement that you and the person purchasing the goods can come to once you are connected with one another. We suggest the person purchasing the goods take a receipt and text/email a copy of it as a proof of purchase, or copy it for their own files and provide you with the orginal receipt. E-transfer upon delivery is a good no-contact way of payment. We are not suggesting against cash payment so long as physical distancing is maintained and the money gets sanitized before and after the transaction. Please avoid the need to provide change.
9. How do I get involved?
To offer support fill out the Volunteer Sign-Up form.
To sign up to be a Neighborhood Coordinator fill out this form.
If you’re interested in helping us to organize the Mutual Aid MH network, please email MutualAidMH@gmail.com.
10. What is a Neighborhood Pod?
A Neighbourhood Pod is a care group that allows you to stay connected with your neighbours while sharing essential information, resources and supports. Through these pods, you will be able to support people in your neighbourhood who are having difficulty accessing necessary resources (e.g. an isolated senior that cannot get to the grocery store or pharmacy) by allocating and distributing these resources to your neighbours (e.g. one of you drops off groceries to the senior or arranges for pharmacy delivery).
11. How can I set up a Pod in my neighbourhood?
First, check out the Neighbourhood Pod map to see if there is already a pod in your neighborhood (link to map). If not, fill out the Neighbourhood Coordinator form. We’ve also put together a Neighbourhood Pod Toolkit.
12. How do I safeguard the people I am supporting?
We require that every person involved with Mutual Aid MH read and agree to follow a Guide to Volunteer Safety and Information.
13. I don’t use Facebook or Whatsapp. How can I help?
We have offline resources to allow for offline connections. Posters can be downloaded below, printed and placed around your neighborhood to let people know about Mutual Aid MH. Flyers that can be customized for you/your neighborhood can be placed in mailboxes (ensuring that as far as possible we are not exposing people to the virus and putting anyone at more harm). We are working on establishing a hotline that will be free to call and leave a message in the voicemail for either requests for support or people looking to volunteer.
If you do have access to the internet, please visit the Mutual Aid MH website to access forms to request support, offer to volunteer, sign up to be a neighbourhood pod coordinator, view FAQs, and more.