AMA Mission Statement
Austin Mutual Aid is a grassroots organization whose mission is to empower and sustain vibrant, joyful, resilient communities. We do this by prioritizing the power of long-term, two-way relationships of exchange. We believe in the principles of solidarity, mutual aid, and autonomous direct action. By working with, listening to, and seeking leadership from impacted communities, especially the most vulnerable and historically underserved members, we build long-term, sustainable communities that can weather any storm.
How Did AMA Come About?
AMA was started in March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 crisis, in order to facilitate mutual aid to the Austin community. AMA had connected with the Covaid team that had developed a platform to support low-income families in relation to the Covid-19 crisis. AMA then joined the Austin-based group called Camp Support and began raising funds in the summer of 2020 to fund their work supporting the unhoused community in Austin.
In February 2021, AMA saw a massive increase in activity as the 2021 winter storm struck Texas. AMA was not specifically prepared to support a crisis of this scale but chose to join with other organizations to try to bridge the massive gap that was apparent. In the crisis, AMA chose to continue to fundraise as there were insufficient existing or accessible resources to provide support, specifically to the unhoused community who were extremely vulnerable due to the storm.