Our neighborhood formed a mutual aid network during the pandemic and now we're three years in, some families have stabilized financially but others are still struggling, and there's this weird tension where the same people keep needing help while others feel like they're always giving. We started as equals helping each other through a crisis but now it feels like we've accidentally created a charity model and nobody knows how to talk about it.
More people experience this than they realize.
What began as reciprocal crisis support has evolved into patterns that feel more like charity, challenging everyone's sense of dignity and shared purpose.
“Where Are You with Reciprocity as community foundation?”
Peri can explain why this happens, help you decide if this is the right situation for you, and point toward the right journey or coach.
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.