City awards ARPA funds to local nonprofits

  The City of Malden 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 Nonprofit Subcommittee, which includes Councillor-at-Large Craig Spadafora, Malden Public Library Director Dora St. Martin and lifelong Malden 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 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 based in Melrose, and its mission is to promote food access and 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 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 Inc. (HFI), the Malden Warming Center and the HFI individual shelter at Malden’s OYO Hotel.

  CCC – well known in 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.