Over the past 15 months, countless families in the city, including the Northwest, have struggled mightily to pay the rent, feed their children, etc., often because of coronavirus-induced unemployment. However, a group of Germantown activists created a nonprofit that cut through the usual bureaucratic red tape and have been providing direct cash payments to some of the most needy AREA residents.

Called Germantown Mutual Aid Fund, GMAF is a community-generated gifting fund that was created in May of last year out of a discussion among members of G.R.E.A.T. (Germantown Residents for Economic Alternatives Together). Germantown resident Lindsay Stolkey first floated the idea, and then several others offered to help organize.

The intent of the fund is to “create a solidarity with support for community members struggling financially due to the COVID19/Quarantine crisis and to help stabilize our community and help prevent displacement.”

According to Jill Saull, a spokesperson for G.R.E.A.T., GMAF has raised over $140,000 and gifted over $100,000, supporting 113 households in Germantown as of its one-year anniversary last month.

“This has been an emotional and rewarding year,” Saull said last week. “So many have struggled because of illness, loss of income, job loss either from businesses closing or parents making the difficult choice to stay home to care for their school age children. GMAF is stunned by the generosity of the community.”

Donations have been coming primarily from neighbors, friends, neighborhood institutions (Greene Street Friends School, St. Vincent de Paul Church, Unitarian Society of Germantown, The Colored Girls Museum, the Northwest Village Network and Gaffney Fabrics) and other interested organizations and fundraisers hosted by Weaver’s Way Co-Op, Attic Brewing, Parlor Noir, Germantown Kitchen Garden and others.

“The outpouring has been humbling,” said Saull. “We have been staying true to our goal of helping folks remain in their homes and stabilizing and uplifting our community.”

GMAF also works closely with several neighborhood non-profits to amplify their impact. The Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry and Face to Face Germantown are two examples. The Crisis Ministry is often able to help financially and advocate for people who have outstanding utility balances.

Face to Face also provides food, medical and legal services and mental health services. The Unitarian Universalist Outreach helps older adults with funds, home repairs and other social service needs. Germantown United CDC is a community supporter of the Germantown Mutual Aid Fund, and Amani Bey and Brianna Jones provide grant-funded administrative support.

“By partnering with these other agencies,” said Saull, “we are able to have a broader effect. Our gift amounts are on a case-by-case basis, and the average gift is about $900. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. We have about five or six applicants each round, and we review twice a month.”

The requests are predominantly for rent and utility needs, but they have also helped with medical bills, emergency home repairs, school tuition and graduation fees. GMAF is continuing to raise funds for those in Germantown who still need some help getting back on their feet as things begin to open up again.

“It’s difficult to pick out one really poignant request since there are many,” said Saull, “but I would say that the young man who needed to pay some outstanding high school tuition and graduation fees in order to get his transcripts to apply for college was one that stuck with us all.

“We unanimously agreed to honor this mother’s request for her high school son so that he wouldn’t be burdened by the pandemic's cruel twist of fate where a family's lost job might mean that he couldn’t graduate and apply for college. We receive many letters of gratitude, big sighs of relief that the rent will be paid and many more blessings bestowed on GMAF for being there.”

GMAF is made up of 9 fierce women who volunteer their time — Lindsay Stolkey, Cathy Brown, Marie Marthol, Barbara Dowdell, Susan Christian, Tiffany Dominique, Jill Saull, Felicia Coward and Brenda Littlejohn.

No one is guaranteed financial assistance, and the gifts also depend on how much money GMAF is able to maintain in the fund through the generosity of others who make donations. The volunteer-run nonprofit is a 501c3, so donations are tax-deductible.

To donate or ask for support, visit greatgtown.org. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com