Amid the worst homelessness crisis Saint John has ever seen, the Saint John Community Coalition hosted its third Free Store event at Stone Church on December 6. With a focus on warm winter clothing, hot food, and community building, participants say they are focused on trying to help keep our most vulnerable neighbors alive. Through networks of care and mutual aid, they say events like this serve to step in where the government won’t.
“Mutual aid networks give us the agency to take care of one another rather than waiting on those in power. By pooling our resources, we can create alternatives to the systems we have which are clearly failing us,” said organizer Brit Rose.
Participants stressed the importance of the mutual in mutual aid, saying that participants receive aid and those receiving aid are encouraged to help out.
“If someone shows up to take things and wants to help out, by all means. If you’re here helping and something catches your eye, take it. The free store is done for and by the community,” said organizer Evan Miller. This dynamic played out in real time at the Free Store. “We had two people from the community spontaneously volunteering with us,” noted participant Quinn Carvey.
“This reciprocity is one of the things that makes mutual aid different from other acts of service like charity. By encouraging people to become agents of their own liberation, we create solidarity among the community to build power and challenge the oppressive systems we are forced to live under. Mutual aid is an ongoing relationship between neighbors, it is community,” said Carvey.
Those at the Free Store felt this sense of community and said they were grateful for the events. “The sense of community and positivity was very strong through the whole day,” said participant Alexandra Mayette.
“For me, it was such a meaningful experience to attend an event like that. They had so many useful things like clothes, shoes, winter boots, and other stuff. And what surprised me was that they also served a lot of delicious food,” said community member My Duyen.
Food is a key component of every Free Store, and Food Not Bombs was there serving soup along with donated baked goods. Additionally, the Indonesian Association provided beef rendang and chicken satay, which were very popular among everyone there.
When asked why the Indonesian Association decided to provide food for the event, member Data Brainanta said, “Me and my friends in the Indonesian Culture Collective decided that we belong to the community here and we have to take part in this mutual aid event, which is also an important part of Indonesian culture. Gifting food is perhaps a universal way to show love and bring people together.”
Along with food and clothing, lots of different educational material was provided. “A key component of mutual aid is education, which is why we have lots of literature and zines that are free for the taking,” said participant Brandon Flynn. “It’s important that we understand the root causes of our shared struggles so we can collectively come up with solutions,” said Flynn.
Of course, no community event is complete without music and art, of which the Free Store had both. Local musicians provided comforting holiday tunes while community members were encouraged to take advantage of the art supplies and colouring sheets. “More than anything, we want people to come together and feel connected. We live in a world of such individualism that we often forget how much we need each other to survive,” said participant Rosella Mullin
“Spaces for us to gather without being forced to buy things are very rare, especially this time of year,” said Mullin. “The lack of free gathering spaces in the community leaves us feeling very isolated and hopeless. Connecting with my neighbors even for a few hours at this event goes a long way towards building lasting relationships.”
“The turnout made it clear how much the community needs these kinds of events and mutual aid more broadly,” said participant Cody Carlye. “It’s amazing how much the Community Coalition was able to accomplish and how big of an event they were about to put together without a lot of outside support. A great demonstration of grassroots, bottom-up initiatives,” said Carlyle.
Despite the bitter cold and somber backdrop, community members in Saint John are finding ways to take care of one another. Organizers admit it’s only a small step toward solving our community’s challenges, but they hope demonstrating our collective agency will inspire new systems that serve everyone—not just a few.
If you are interested in helping out with future Free Stores, you can contact the Saint John Community Coalition at SJMutualAid@proton.me. To connect with Food Not Bombs regarding their food distribution program, you can email foodnotbombssj@proton.me.
Sarah Durham is an organizer with the Saint John Community Coalition.
