Restaurant Worker Mutual Aid of Greater Boston (RWMA)

The Restaurant Worker Mutual Aid of Greater Boston (RWMA) launched in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and a Massachusetts state mandate that required restaurants to close, leaving more than 211,000 out of roughly 350,000 servers, bartenders, kitchen staff, and other food industry workers without income. Luckily, many hospitality workers began receiving unemployment benefits; unfortunately, undocumented immigrant workers, despite paying taxes, were not eligible for government assistance, resulting in serious financial strain and food insecurity for workers and their families.

Sensing the severity of the situation, two newly furloughed restaurant workers turned to their industry connections to organize food and grocery donations for their former co-workers who would not be eligible for unemployment benefits. Week one, the team delivered to 10 households. Now, nearly four months later, the team has grown to 10+ volunteers coordinating food distribution to over 70 households (180+ adults and 130+ children) throughout the Boston area (Allston, East Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, and Revere).

The RWMA works in collaboration with networks of organizations, community leaders, nonprofits, and community members in an effort to create sustainable solutions in promoting and advocating for more equitable systems and policy initiatives.

While RWMA accepts food item donations, the majority of food distributed is purchased from restaurant wholesalers. The organization is fortunate to be tapped into the food industry supply network. The infrastructures of the restaurant industry are not being overwhelmed like the supply chains accessed by grocery stores and food banks. By accessing food resources through wholesale restaurant suppliers we avoid food scarcity and inconsistencies. This allows us to provide reliable, cost effective, and consistent emergency food relief, focused on nutritional and culturally sensitive distribution.

These are unprecedented and uncertain times. Though some restaurants are beginning to re-open at a reduced capacity, as much as a third are projected to close, leaving too many without work. The need for emergency food aid continues.

The immigrant community is foundational to our country's, our city's, our community's food systems. The community that supports every step of getting food to our tables (from farming, to distribution, production and preparation) are disproportionately facing the uncertainty of putting food on their own tables.

RWMA is dedicated to fighting food insecurity within the food industry. While COVID-19 continues to bring much devastation to communities, it also brings opportunity. This is an opportunity to support those who have always supported us. But we cannot do it alone. Please consider supporting this mutual aid effort, helping us to ensure we can continue to provide reliable food and resource support as the need continues. 

“I want to thank you for everything you do day after day so that our family, and so many families with scarce resources, can have food. Thank you very much for caring about all of us.”-Marta, East Boston

“Thank you for always taking the time to help me; for the information and the thoughtful things for my child.” -Sue, Revere

“You cannot imagine how much you are helping us. May God bless you every day more.” -Rosilene, East Boston

http://rwma617.org