mad
Mutual Aid Distribution
west palm beach
Who are we?
MAD is small, locally-organized collective dedicated to providing on-the-ground support for the unhoused community in West Palm Beach, FL.
We provide a variety of services, including supplies distributions, food shares, career help, and social support.
We are funded 100% by the community through donations and offer full transparency into how every cent is spent. Every month, we provide receipts and a monthly newletter detailing all purchases, which we share on our monthly donation platform (Patreon) and our social media.
Our Philosophy
We believe in community, not charity, and that all people deserve food, housing, healthcare, respect, and safety. While there are many individual causes for homelessness, we understand that homelessness represents the failure of the system to protect and care for its citizens.
To overcome this broken system, we endeavor to build the foundation for community resilience through mutual aid. For over a year, we have continued to show up for our community members and have built their trust. Furthermore, through political education, we strive to foster international solidarity with those in global struggle, unify the working class, and work towards a decolonial future.
Sources
- Lou, M. (2019, July 17). “A Florida city blasts ‘Baby Shark’ overnight to deter homeless people from sleeping in a park”. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/17/us/baby-shark-florida-homeless-prevention-park-trnd
- Palm Beach County et al. (2024). Leading the Way Home: Strategies to Break the Cycle of Homelessness in Response to the 24-Hour Point in Time County. The Homeless Plan. https://thehomelessplan.org/pdf/2024/leadingthewayhome-addendum.pdf
- Quesada, M. (2023, January 24). “Are salaries keeping up with inflation in Palm Beach County?” WFLX. https://www.wflx.com/2023/01/24/are-salaries-keeping-up-with-inflation-palm-beach-county/
- Whigham, J. (2024, April 20). “Homeless count finds more people lacking shelter in Palm Beach County than in 2023.” Palm Beach Post. https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2024/04/20/palm-beach-county-survey-shows-increase-in-number-of-homeless-in-2024/73345032007/
Our Community
In 2024, Palm Beach County recorded an all-time high of 2,126 individuals experiencing homelessness during a 24-hour census4. Of these 2,000 people, 74% are unsheltered, with the majority of residing in West Palm Beach2.
Contributing to the rise of homelessness, the cost-of-living in Palm Beach County has increased at a faster rate than the majority of the country2. Meanwhile, data shows that some local jobs, including veterinarians, social workers, air traffic controllers, and tutors, have actually experienced a decrease in wages in recent years3.
Despite the city’s boasts, West Palm Beach has a long history of using anti-homeless architecture and policies. In 2019, when the city made headlines for “blasting popular children songs like ‘Baby Shark’” to discourage people” from sleeping in the popular waterfront area1. Additionally, the city continues to threaten, fine, and cite mutual aid groups, including our group and Food Not Bombs, for serving food to our neighbors.
