Volunteers stock the Serve Your City/Ward 6 Mutual Aid food pantry at Christ United Methodist Church. Courtesy of Karen McManus
By Regina Mazur
Serve Your City/Ward 6 Mutual Aid (SYC/W6MA) embodies its mission, not just in name but in unwavering action. Over the years, SYC/W6MA has demonstrated an unyielding commitment to serving our neighbors and providing crucial support to Black and Brown residents throughout DC. The organization actively drives a multitude of initiatives, ranging from supplying essential items to community members and providing tutoring and afterschool programs for K-12 youth to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community.
The strong partnership between the Southwest Pod of SYC/W6MA and Christ United Methodist Church, along with the collaborative efforts of numerous grassroots organizations serving Black and Brown communities, significantly contribute to this work.
Throughout the year, SYC/W6MA hosts various campaigns that adapt with the changing seasons but consistently offer invaluable assistance year-round. Whether it’s organizing food and clothing drives, distributing produce, or collaborating with the Southwest Farmers Market, all of SYC/W6MA’s endeavors are geared towards uplifting the community.
Join Serve Your City/Ward 6 Mutual Aid’s Southwest DC Fall Food Drive October 14 to November 18
We need your help to stock up on our food pantries for the coming winter months. With the increase in food costs and the reduction of SNAP benefits, many families in our community are in need of food and supplies. The requests for assistance have increased, and our shelves are getting bare. Support us by seeing that everyone in our community has access to basic food.
Donations can be brought to any of the following locations:
- Christ United Methodist Church (900 4th Street SW, back entrance of the pathway to the Southwest Public Library), on Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- SW Farmers Market (425 M Street SW) at the Serve Your City/Ward 6 Mutual Aid booth, on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m-1:00 p.m.
- Check your building or church to see if they are hosting a donation box.
We are seeking donations of:
- Non-perishable foods, such as canned tuna, canned chicken, pasta, pasta sauce, soup, canned fruit, boxed milk, peanut butter, jelly, cooking oil, condiments, hot & and cold cereal, Ensure, tea, coffee.
- Toiletries, such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, bar soap, deodorant, and feminine products, Depends.
- Monetary Donations: Donate online at bit.ly/falldrive-sycw6ma.
Interested in More Ways to Help?
Volunteer as a Virtual Tutor for DC K-12 Students: Serve Your City/Ward 6 Mutual Aid’s Free School for Unlimited Youth program provides life-changing educational experiences and opportunities for Black and Brown youth in Washington, DC, including free virtual tutoring for K-12 students throughout the city. We are always looking for additional, dedicated tutors to help support even more DC K-12 students. If you’re a college student, graduate student, or professional interested in volunteering for virtual tutoring sessions in any subject, please visit bit.ly/sycvolunteertutor to learn more and join our network. Have any questions? Please feel free to email Serve Your City/Ward 6 Mutual Aid’s Free School for Unlimited Youth program at youthenrichment@serveyourcitydc.org.
Join us every Saturday at 2:00 p.m. for our food distribution: SYC/W6MA teams up with Christ United Methodist Church 5000 Food Pantry to provide fresh produce. Additionally, on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month, also at 2:00 p.m., we broaden our selection to include groceries, cleaning supplies, and personal care items. You can find our distribution location at 900 4th Street SW. If you require further assistance with food and supplies, please don’t hesitate to reach out to SYC/W6MA’s Mutual Aid Hotline at 202-683-9962 or send an email to ward6mutualaid@gmail.com.
Want to Learn More? For additional information, please contact us at: swmutualaid@serveyourcitydc.org.