Community Care

At There’s Room, we believe care is something we build together. Our Community Care program exists to meet real needs with compassion, clarity, and dignity. Whether someone is seeking support with no strings attached or wants to participate in a cycle of shared giving, we offer pathways that honor people’s humanity and respect their circumstances. Community Care is not charity for us – it’s a practice of showing up for one another, redistributing resources, and creating the conditions where everyone has room to breathe, grow, and belong.

Our Community Care program has two forms of support – Direct Aid and Mutual Aid – each designed to meet real needs while honoring the dignity, creativity, and resilience of our community.

Direct Aid

Direct Aid is support we off with no expectations in return. It exists because everyone deserves help when they need it, without conditions of judgement. We offer Direct Aid once every six months to individuals in our community.

To request Direct Aid, email us at connect@theresroomnc.org and share:

What you need support with
How the funds will help
The best way for us to get the aid to you

Direct Aid is our way of saying: you matter, and you deserve care.

Mutual Aid

Mutual Aid is support rooted in reciprocity and shared growth. When we offer Mutual Aid, we ask for something in return – not payment, but contribution.

This contribution can take many forms, including:

Sharing a skill
Offering creative work
Helping us grow our programs
Supporting the community in a way that feels authentic to you

We offer Mutual Aid once every six months to individuals who want to be part of a cycle of giving and receiving. Mutual Aid is our reminder that we build stronger futures when we build them together.

Community Care FAQ

Who do we give aid to?

We offer support to anyone in our community who is navigating material need. Our work is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves care, dignity, and the resources required to live.

What kinds of needs do we support?

Our aid is focused on material support – the things that help people stay housed, fed, safe, and connected. This includes: rent or housing support, food and groceries, gas, utilities, and other essential living expenses.

Rent or housing support
Food and groceries
Gas
Utilities
Other essential living expenses

At this time, we’re not able to assist with non-material needs.

How often can someone receive aid?

To make sure our resources reach as many people as possible, individuals can receive aid – whether Direct Aid or Mutual Aid – once every six months.

Who do we prioritize?

Our work centers the people most impacted by systemic harm. Because of that, we prioritize offering aid to:

Black people
Queer people
Trans people

These communities are at the heart of our mission and often face the greatest barriers to material support. That said, we do extend aid to others as well, based on the discretion of our team and the resources we have available.

How long does it take to receive aid?

Direct Aid is usually processed within 48 hours, as long as we have the information we need to move forward. Mutual Aid can take a little longer – the timeline depends on how quickly we’re able to come to a mutuality agreement together. We want the exchange to feel clear, respectful, and aligned for everyone involved.

How do I request aid?

Reach out to us at connect@theresroomnc.org. If you’re requesting Direct Aid, let us know: What you need support with, how the funds will help, the best way for us to get the aid to you.

If you’re requesting Mutual Aid, we’ll also talk with you about what mutuality looks like for you – whether that’s sharing a skill, offering creative work, or contributing to our community in a way that feels authentic and sustainable.