Editor’s Note: 2025 kicked off with a new administration coming to power after campaigning, in part, on dealing with the economic challenges facing Americans. In less than two weeks, the Trump administration has made quick work of disrupting and dismantling much of the federal government’s infrastructure, which includes programs and departments that provide aid and benefits to millions of Americans.
During these times of economic and political uncertainty, Feet in 2 Worlds is spotlighting the ways that immigrants in the U.S. — many of whom came from places in economic and political turmoil — are working to support and protect each other. These mutual aid efforts exist across the country, reflecting the way immigrant communities have always been deeply resilient by depending on each other to survive. This is especially true in communities that have historically been unable to rely on government or institutions to fulfill their needs.
As we bear witness to further attacks on immigrant communities and brace for untold economic impact, reporter Fahima Degia brings us to the Bronx to explore an immigrant neighborhood with a rich legacy of mutual aid.
As the sun begins to set in the East Bronx, mechanics tighten bolts, filter and pour oil into car engines, and inflate tires. Next to a repair shop, a rainbow-colored fridge on the sidewalk states in big, bold black letters:
ALLERTON ALLIES COMMUNITY FRIDGE
FREE FOOD!
COMIDA GRATIS
ONLY TAKE WHAT YOU NEED!
TO DONATE VISIT US HERE
@ALLERTONALLIESFRIDGE.
As cars zoom past during rush hour, workers help vehicles in the shop navigate the exit of the Affinity General Mechanic and Tire Shop.
In a New York City borough facing economic hardship, the owner of this tire shop runs around handling many tasks at the same time. Ignacio Collado is a stocky middle-aged Dominican immigrant who came to the United States in 1994. He runs the community fridge as part of a larger mutual aid network in the East Bronx to help support those in need.
Collado, 45, says he does this work because he sees community members continuing to struggle since the pandemic. “You see, the supermarket is empty,” says Collado. “You go to a supermarket with a hundred dollars. You can carry two bags, and on top of that, you have to pay for the bag. Even the local government says they will help, and then they do not. We must rely on each other in this neighborhood.”
The History of Mutual Aid in the Bronx
Mutual aid is the exchange of voluntary resources and services among community members. This is not a new concept but a long-standing tradition rooted deeply in immigrant neighborhoods across the country — especially in the Bronx. Some of the earliest written records of mutual aid in the borough date back to 1913, with a group known as the Bronx Bakers Mutual Aid Association. According to the Center for Jewish History, the Association provided financial support to sick or unemployed members. It helped cover burial expenses for those who passed away, and it held banquets and other social events. The Association collected dues, created a fund to cover expenses, and elected officers to oversee the execution of all their activities.
This tradition continued through the 1970s, when the Young Lords and Black Panthers organized mutual aid across the Bronx at a time when city services particularly neglected the borough. The Black Panthers offered free breakfast and self-defense programs. The Young Lords implemented grassroots healthcare efforts, such as door-to-door tuberculosis testing.
In 2025, many residents of the Bronx still rely on mutual aid networks. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New York City’s inflation rate is currently 4.3%, compared to an average of 2.9% in all major U.S. cities. And inflation particularly impacts Bronx County at a disproportionate rate. According to the Comptroller’s Office, it has the highest unemployment rate in New York State.
This winter, the Robin Hood Project, which fights poverty through data, reports that the Bronx experienced the highest rate of material hardship relative to other New York City boroughs. Common problems for Bronxites include being unable to pay their full rent, struggling to pay the full amount of utility bills, running out of money between paychecks, and not seeing healthcare professionals due to costs. Material hardship can also mean one’s phone, gas, or electricity service being cut off, or being worried that food will run out.
According to the Robin Hood Project, material hardship — including food insecurity — disproportionately impacts Black, Latino, and Asian communities, which make up the largest demographic groups in the Bronx.
For residents of the Bronx who face these challenges, mutual aid efforts such as Allerton Allies Community Fridge are trying to fill the gap by providing essential resources — like food, medical care, and rent assistance.
Highlighting Bronx Residents who Utilize Allerton Allies
For Collado, mutual aid takes a few different forms. At the community fridge, people can drop off or pick up food as needed. Another initiative includes a food distribution service on the same sidewalk as the tire shop and community fridge. On a white table, two volunteers prop up big brown boxes containing bread, bagels, lettuce, tomatoes, and potatoes. They speak Spanish and Bengali with residents while helping to bag their vegetables.
One of Collado’s neighbors who cares about and utilizes the community fridge is Enisa Ljecaj, a young Albanian Muslim woman with a buzz cut and a willingness to help. As she stocks the fridge, Ljecaj explains how she makes flyers for Collado and hands them out to different community centers promoting the Allerton Allies Community Fridge.
Since she was 16, Ljecaj has worked multiple jobs. “All my immigrant dad and I ever knew was how to clock into and out of work,” she recalls. “That has been my life: keeping my head down.”
She has cleaned apartments, worked as a home attendant, flipped pizzas, worked at a cash register in a supermarket, and cleaned mosques. Currently, she stops by the community fridge daily. “Since the pandemic, I worked two jobs, as a bartender and hospital transporter,” says Ljecaj. “I could not financially support my mom, children, and other family members living in my home with this income. This led me to be evicted. This is the worst I have ever been through in my life, and I have lived in my car before.”
Ljecaj is now homeless and has resorted to what she calls “boosting” cleaning products and groceries and reselling items. She says she has been arrested a few times for shoplifting. In 1979, Ljecaj says rent was $400 a month for her father when he first immigrated to the East Bronx. Now, it’s about $2,500, showing the impact of rising costs on her family and the difficulty of making ends meet.
She sees this fridge as an essential part of the neighborhood, especially for someone like herself — an immigrant. “We [immigrants] experience the same struggles, and one of those struggles is neglect from the government, and that is when fridges like this help.”
Another Bronx resident, Esther Garro, also volunteers for and uses the fridge. Garro says the cost of living has increased significantly, but wages remain the same. She has to stick to a tight budget, and she saves on groceries by using the fridge. Garro expresses how community fridges like this bring people closer in times of increasing economic hardship.
The Struggles of Running Mutual Aid Organizations
For Collado, there are no breaks when it comes to mutual aid. He says he dedicates all his time, space, and money to it. Collado’s tire shop employees and his family members also pitch in by packing food. He does this from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m., serving about 200 people a day. Collado receives this food from three sources: his friend Paul Moore, who helps run a food pantry named mrc_bronx; donations via Venmo; and Collado’s own pocket. On special occasions such as Thanksgiving, he says he served 500 hot plates and handed out 14 turkeys, which he received as a donation from local politicians.
Although Collado receives help, he feels there is a lack of financial support and resources from the government. “They help big organizations, not the little fish like me,” he says.
This lack of institutional support takes a toll on how much he can provide. It also takes a toll on his personal life, he says. Collado says he has taken out personal loans and has faced late fees of up to $20,000 to keep up with the demand. He pays for food for the fridge, hot plates, and the fruits and vegetables he hands out every day. He pays for gas to pick up the food daily. He also pays for expenses for his tire shop and expenses at home.
Despite a history of governmental neglect, Collado says he sees how newly elected President Donald Trump has gained popularity in the borough. “A lot of Bronx residents believe in Trump when he says he will help the economy,” he says.
According to the New York City Board of Elections, Donald Trump earned 11 more percentage points in the Bronx since the 2020 election, winning 27% as compared to 16% previously. Immigrants make up 30% of the borough’s population. While Trump won the Presidency in the Congressional 14th District, which is part of the East Bronx, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — a progressive Democrat and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — also handily clinched that same district.
Following the 2024 presidential election, Ocasio-Cortez asked her constituents on social media why they voted for both candidates. In response, Bronxites expressed similar feelings to Collado’s, saying that both candidates are authentic and care about the economy and the working class. Many voters also shared dissatisfaction with the Biden administration.
For organizers in the Bronx, the day-to-day challenges of building long-term mutual aid continue. Tahitun Mariam — the founder of Bronx Mutual Aid — says she has had to be resourceful and dedicate herself full-time to organizing. Her organization was a prominent source of mutual aid in the Bronx during the pandemic. However, Bronx Mutual Aid’s Instagram page is currently inactive. What Mariam began in her friend’s dance studio in 2020 elicited about $150,000 dollars from donations. Mariam started by serving food, and she eventually expanded to delivering medicine to seniors from the pharmacy, providing rent assistance for undocumented families, leading blanket drives and voter registration drives, and giving out COVID-19 preparedness kits.
Mariam says she has also experienced a lot of burnout and is now taking a break. Just last year, she worked two contract jobs as a political consultant and another at a climate justice organization. She says the need for community organizing will likely continue in the next few years under a new president who has quickly scrapped a policy that prevented ICE raids in schools, churches, and hospitals. “So many people, including myself, are really concerned about the mass deportation threats. Organizers are already creating ICE watch lists and know your rights documents. Mutual aid is only going to become more important as ICE raids happen.”
Since Donald Trump’s inauguration, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported on January 29th that 10,156 people have been arrested and 814 people detained. On Tuesday, January 28th, the new Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem supervised a highly publicized ICE raid in the Highbridge section of the Bronx.
Collado says he is aware of Trump’s immigration policies. He says with more ICE raids, there will be a need for more organizing. “This country is an immigrant country, and people in my neighborhood are scared of the ICE raids,” he says. “I plan to try to step up and help these people apply for citizenship. They left their homes for a dream, and I will help them look forward…maybe even hire an immigration lawyer and provide them [with] resources and knowledge for when ICE does try to arrest them without warrants.”
As the new administration’s policies take hold in dramatically different forms, Mariam acknowledges the consistency and longtime history of mutual aid, which has always been a part of immigrant life in the Bronx. As a Bengali immigrant, Mariam’s community has often raised money for community members facing various hardships, such as a death in the family.
Successful Mutual Aid Organizations
In the south Bronx, Marco Saavedra — a Mexican immigrant — helps run La Morada, a family-owned restaurant. At the restaurant’s entrance, a black door boasts a big red sign stating, “REFUGEES WELCOME” alongside a watermelon. Eye-catching posters declare the words, “Hola Gatita dice ceasefire!” and “Unite the hood, fight our oppressors.” Upon entering, the smells of sauteed peppers, meats, and salsa meet the nose.
On one side of the shop are tables with pictures of Marco Saavedra’s family on the walls next to them; Saavedra owns this restaurant. Paying customers eat under a large no-deportation sign. On the other side is Saavedra’s cousin, who is preparing to give out bags of food to one of the 500 people La Morada serves daily. This mutual aid kitchen also got started during the pandemic. The team receives donations via Venmo, as well as from partnerships with colleges and non-profit groups. Some of the income La Morada makes from the restaurant goes towards the food the team hands out to the community.
At La Morada, Saavedra says inflation has increased the cost of ingredients and has brought fewer customers to the door. This limits how much support the mutual aid kitchen can provide, but the family says they remain as resourceful as possible.
Saavedra makes use of his partnerships with non-profit organizations and income from his restaurant, as they help sustain his efforts during inflation. His family also receives donated produce from partner farms to support their soup kitchen, which expanded from a GoFundMe during the pandemic.
Unlike La Morada, Collado of Allerton Allies is still growing his network and does not have multiple partnerships or passive income, so he uses his own resources. La Morada also has a bigger following on Instagram — 11,500 followers — compared to Allerton Allies.
In 2024, inflation rates in New York City impacted immigrant communities in the Bronx at a disproportionate rate — and mutual aid networks attempted to fill in the gaps. In 2025, Bronxites are still feeling the pinch of rising costs, which could be impacted further by President Trump’s tariffs. Bird flu has skyrocketed the cost of eggs, and the possibility of ongoing ICE raids has left immigrant communities in the city on edge. Meanwhile, President Trump has clarified that his priority is not to address rising prices, but to continue his focus on detentions and deportations. For organizers in the Bronx, these threats signify a recommitment to their decades-long practices of mutual aid. As Enisa Ljecaj, one of the volunteers for Allerton Allies Community Fridge, says, “In this community, we are all immigrants, and no one understands each other more than we do.”
Feet in 2 Worlds is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Ford Foundation, the Fernandez Pave the Way Foundation, an anonymous donor, and contributors to our annual NewsMatch campaign.
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