The City recently announced the award of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds in the amounts of $50,000 to the Chinese Culture Connection (CCC) and $25,000 to The Food Drive. Following an application and review process, the awards were recommended by the City’s ARPA Subcommittee on Non-Profit Support which includes City Councillor Craig Spadafora, Library Director Dora St. Martin, and longtime resident Linda Zalk. The requests for funding were enthusiastically supported and approved by Mayor Gary Christenson.
“Organizations such as The Food Drive and Chinese Culture Connection have had a tremendous impact on our community as we face the challenges of COVID-19 and its aftermath,” said City Councillor Spadafora. “Throughout the pandemic and as we recover, food banks work tirelessly to provide healthy food to families in need while programs like the CCC continue to assist families with access to resources and supports through their programming. Dora St. Martin, Linda Zalk and I were pleased to be able to assist both of these non-profits.”
The Food Drive is located in Melrose and its mission is to promote food access, food justice, and climate action. They partner with commercial and community sources to rescue wholesome food that would otherwise go to waste and deliver it directly to our local pantries and programs. The Food Drive has delivered 100,500 pounds (over 50 tons) of food to recipients in Malden, including Bread of Life, Housing Families, the Malden Warming Center, and the Housing Families individual shelter at the OYO Hotel.
The Chinese Culture Connection, well-known to the Malden community since 1999, works to promote intercultural harmony and build bridges between American and Chinese people. They offer an array of cultural programs and resources for both children and adults. As a result of the pandemic, there has been an extraordinary increase in the demand for their services, and the funds will be used to restart expand programming.
Pictured (Top photo, from left): Linda Zalk, Mayor Gary Christenson, CCC Executive Director Mei Hung, City Councillor-At-Large Craig Spadafora, and Library Director Dora St. Martin
Pictured (Bottom photo, from left): Linda Zalk, City Councillor-At-Large Craig Spadafora, Food Drive Executive Director Jana Gimenez, Mayor Gary Christenson, and Library Director Dora St. Martin