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What is Mutual Aid?
Mutual aid is about communities caring for one another as equals, rooted in trust, dignity, and solidarity, without hierarchy or judgment. Apóyate South Bay reflects this ethos, serving Santa Clara County’s diverse communities through a bilingual network that connects individuals in urgent need with neighbors offering support, such as groceries, transportation, or emergency funds. Hosted by Latinas Contra Cancer, this secure online platform facilitates real-time assistance while laying the groundwork for community organizing, public health advocacy, and lasting health justice
How It Works
Register
Sign up on ApóyateSB and watch a short orientation video that explains what Apóyate South Bay is and how to engage in our mutual aid platform.
Join a Pod
Choose a themed pod like transportation, food, or translation. You’ll be added to a WhatsApp group focused on that kind of support.
Support
Post your need or offer help directly in the pod. Community members respond in real time, no middleman, just direct care and solidarity.
Contribute
Help sustain ASB by donating to the Patient Emergency Fund. This allows us to meet urgent needs when physical goods aren’t enough.
Community Stories
One of our patient navigators at Latinas Contra Cancer turned to a community WhatsApp group to quickly secure a donated wheelchair for a client in urgent need, exemplifying mutual aid through care, trust, and collective action where traditional systems fell short.
“My neighbor showed up with groceries when I didn’t know what to do.”
“Because of this fund, I could stay in treatment another month.”
“They checked on me every week while I recovered. That’s love.”
Other Ways to Get Involved
Volunteer
Engage in organizing events, outreach, and education programs.
Donate
Transportation Credits to Uber/Lyft and Emergency Patient Funds.
Spread the Word
Promote the importance of mutual aid in building resilient communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mutual aid is a community-driven approach where people come together to support one another and act in their collective best interest. It is grounded in relationship-building, shared resources, and valuing every individual equally. Rather than relying on top-down structures, mutual aid prioritizes collective and consensus-based decision-making, emphasizing the importance of showing up for each other in diverse ways. It includes political education and a commitment to understanding the systems and histories that have led us to the present moment. At its core, mutual aid is about preparing for crises and navigating hardship together, rooted in solidarity, trust, and deep care.
It is not about institutions deciding what is best for communities or stepping in only during times of crisis. It is not charity or philanthropy, nor does it involve individuals or organizations positioning themselves as “saviors.” Mutual aid should never be used as an excuse for institutions to abandon their responsibilities or for governments to withdraw essential support. It is not a replacement for the social safety net, but rather a community-led effort that exists alongside it, driven by solidarity, not hierarchy or control.
Mutual aid matters because institutions consistently neglect low-income communities, leaving critical gaps in support and care. When we focus on building relationships and local networks of trust, we strengthen our ability to respond effectively to both individual and collective crises. Our greatest social and political impact begins at the local level, where real change is rooted in connection and collaboration. In a world that often promotes competition and individualism, mutual aid reminds us that our survival, health, and well-being are deeply tied to community. Through solidarity, not scarcity, we can save each other’s lives.
A virtual mutual aid network for Santa Clara County, built to connect neighbors with urgent health and medical needs to those others who can provide direct support.
You must first register on the ApóyateSB website. After completing a short orientation video, you’ll be able to join a pod (a WhatsApp group) that aligns with your need, such as transportation, childcare, or food support. Once you're in a pod, you can share your request directly with the group.
If you'd like to offer help, whether by driving someone to an appointment, donating goods, or contributing to the Emergency Fund, you'll also register on the website and choose a pod to join. You’ll then receive requests that match your interests or capacity.
ApóyateSB is open to all Santa Clara County residents. We prioritize people most impacted by health inequities, systemic racism, and institutional neglect, but everyone has a role to play in supporting one another.
Pods are small groups formed around specific needs (like housing, medical rides, food). They’re hosted on WhatsApp to make communication easier and build trust within each group.
Latinas Contra Cáncer acts as the lead coordinator, facilitating the network, moderating activity within the pods, and overseeing responsibility and safety across the platform.
Please contact us at contact@apoyatesb.org.
Join the Movement
We Keep Us Safe and Well.
Join us now
You’ll get early access to the platform, invites to special events, and curated community resources.
