When the pandemic started, my newsletter subscribers (Lil Swipes Assemble!) came up with the brilliant idea to create a spreadsheet. There were so many people out of work or with reduced hours or struggling, and it seemed overwhelming. So the idea was to throw up a hand if you needed it, and take a hand if you could. I named it We Got You Club because Everybody Needs a Helping Hand Club was too long and Amy Grant might have sued us for copyright infringement (probably not, she’s an angel). We met a lot of the needs in the first round of the spreadsheet, and I took it down. We did it one more time, and now here we are: at our third iteration.
Things are NOT GREAT in our world at the moment: the loss of SNAP benefits, natural disasters, continued economic impact, all of it seems pretty bleak. Life feels overwhelming. One of my favorite poets, David Gate, wrote in his fabulous book A Rebellion of Care: “We cannot rely on those in power to help us and we are going to have to make our own way. Of course, good things can still be achieved by political and religious institutions, but we can’t depend on them or place our hope in them to do what is necessary. They will never sacrifice themselves. We have to find other sources of power to help us. We have to bring that energy for each other. We know what is true and we know what we must do.” I think we can be creative in the ways we help each other, which is why I love We Got You Club: you may not have the financial ability to help, but we’re not gonna let capitalism tell us that only our money is worth anything.
So We Got You Club is back.
Here's how it works:
🤝 You have a need (it can be financial, but it doesn't have to be). Maybe you need a little help paying your electricity bill, or your partner’s hours have been reduced, and you can’t afford SAT tutoring anymore. Maybe you need some cash for a babysitter so you can keep going to your job. Maybe you need help with graphic design to get your business off the ground. Maybe you need prayer or encouragement, or your kid can’t have a birthday party this year, and you’re in a new town, so you just want some people to send some birthday cards. You fill out the NEEDS form.
🤝 If you’re looking to meet some needs, visit the spreadsheet and navigate to the NEEDS tab. There you’ll find many ways to help your fellow humans, both financial and otherwise.
🤝 If you are in a position right now to help someone, scroll the spreadsheet and use the info they've posted to meet the need. YOU ARE NOW THE NEED MEETER, OR A PART OF THE NEED MEETER TEAM. The Need Meeter(s) will then send money or touch base with the Receiver.
🤝 Once the need is met (partially or fully), the Receiver will email hello@erinhmoon.com to confirm the need is met and the request can be marked as fulfilled.
🤝 If you have a skill or service you’d like to offer, you fill out the I GOT THIS form.
🤝 If you’re looking to find people who can help, visit the spreadsheet and navigate to the I GOT THIS tab. Find something interesting? Reach out directly via the email address provided. If you’d like to remove your offering, please email hello@erinhmoon.com.
🥳 Congratulations! You have now contributed to lessening the dumpster fire that is our current world!
Some helpful tips:
✅ I'm not policing this. This is based on the honor system. If you scam people, may God have mercy on your soul because you'll need it.
✅ Don't feel like you have to meet someone's entire need. If $5 is what you can do right now, that's amazing. Teamwork makes the dream work.
✅ Please do not post non-profits, GoFundMe links, teacher wishlists or any kind of solicitation. We love all those things, but that’s not what this is for. Those will be deleted.
✅ If you need a reminder that there are still good things in the world, take a stroll through the sheet. It'll bless ya.
✅ Asking for help is brave, and it’s not a moral failing. That is all.
And big beautiful ups to @threeletterbirds, who made some yummy art to go along with #wegotyouclub. People are kind and generous. ❤️
If you have questions about We Got You Club, please email here.