Meet Jasmine Louis of Mutual Rise

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Louis.

Hi Jasmine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
About seven months ago, I started a small mutual aid group called Mutual Rise. Honestly, I was feeling really depressed about the state of the world and I needed to push positive energy out, in service of others. I volunteered with Food Not Bombs and it was the wake-up call I needed! It reminded me that every human being deserves safe shelter, good food, clean clothes, and water– and we have a responsibility to meet those tangible needs. Our national food and outreach systems can be improved to make that a reality for all, and that’s what we aim to do.

I loved volunteering with Food Not Bombs, but they were too far from me. So I decided to start a local group of my own to serve people in my direct community. Mutual Rise was born with a simple mission: get food into the hands of the people who need it, especially those who can’t travel to food pantries for a variety of reasons. I especially love it because we’re able to rescue tons of perfectly good food from local restaurants and grocery stores and serve all our food for free.

Since then, we’ve served meals and essentials to over 700 food- and housing-insecure neighbors in the Inland Empire, within just a 20-mile radius. I’ve been so grateful to see how this truly has become a community effort, with a small group of friends and nonprofits partners helping cook, clean, assemble hygiene kits, donate supplies, and serve folks meals and essentials on and off the streets.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road, but it has gone a lot smoother than I expected. We’ve had our fair share of little hurdles—like getting a nail in our tire during a mobile serve and needing an emergency patch, or my car battery dying right before a food pick-up, or experiencing a leak in my new storage unit during all the recent rain. Thankfully, I have a community to step in, and we find a way to keep going. The work of picking up supplies/ingredients, cooking, and serving food via vehicle is not overly complex. It does, however, take time, patience, and labor. None of these setbacks deter us! If anything, they make us even more grateful for the work we get to do once everything is fixed. The work is deeply rewarding! We are fundraising for a van for our serves so we can bring more meals and essentials on single trips.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Mutual Rise?
Mutual Rise is a small mutual aid LLC serving neighbors who are experiencing food- and housing-insecurity in the Inland Empire. We focus on getting good, home-cooked meals, groceries, hygiene kits, and essentials directly into the hands of people—especially those who can’t access traditional food banks or pantries due to lack of transportation, disability, health issues, or work/care obligations. There’s no hoops to access our services, and no judgment.

What sets us apart is that we work with nonprofits to access and secure large-scale food and essential donations from businesses and help to expand nonprofits’ reach through our own distribution channels and routes. Everything we do is powered by our small network of volunteers and nonprofit partners who gather supplies and ingredients, cook, assemble hygiene kits, and help deliver meals. We think it’s really important to build real relationships with our neighbors who need care, check in regularly, and tailor support to what people actually need.

I’m most proud that Mutual Rise is creating a culture of “doing what you can when you can.” We don’t believe bigger is always better and we are living proof that you can do a lot with a little! All we have to do is be steady, systematic, honest, and authentic.

What I want readers to know is that Mutual Rise is built on the knowledge that everyone deserves the human right to live with all their basic needs met, with dignity and respect, no matter your circumstances. We are a community of people showing up for our neighbors, one person and family at a time. We also sell merch to help fund our community outreach!

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Over the next 5–10 years, I see mutual aid becoming more visible and more necessary. Today, as more people fall through gaps in traditional food systems, community members across the board are currently stepping in to support each other directly. I think we’ll see a rise in small groups that focus on relationship-based care rather than scale, and more everyday neighbors and small businesses joining in to support one another.

Technology will help with coordination, but the core of mutual aid will stay the same: people showing up for people.

Pricing:

• The Everyday Crop – $30
• The Action Tank – $30
• The Solidarity Bottle – $25
• The Mutual Mug – $15
• The Rise Tote – $20

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mutualrise.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mutualrise/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575323799633&mibextid=wwXIfr
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MutualRise
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mutualrise

Image Credits
Kimberly Kuehn Photography