March 2020 - Neighborhood View

Bread of Life perseveres with its mission in spite of challenges

March 26, 2020 annedr 2

By Anne D’Urso-Rose The line snaked in fits and starts along a path outside the First Baptist Church of Malden. Those waiting for their free meals from Bread of Life were practicing social distancing with unequal measurements of separation. “I’ve been coming for many years,” said Govan, a Bread of Life meal patron, as he waited in good spirits. “These people are wonderful. We’d all be lost without them.” Life is challenging for Malden residents these days but for those with the least amount of resources, the situation has hit harder. To address the need, dedicated staff and volunteers on the front lines continue to serve the city’s most vulnerable residents with commitment and resourcefulness. “Since last week, the numbers seemed to be going up,” said John Robillard, the Meals Program Assistant for Bread of Life. “Today (Tuesday) we have 75 meals, where normally we make about 50.” “People have to eat,” said Gabriella Snyder Stelmack, Executive Director of the Bread of Life, in a recent interview with Neighborhood View. “We’ve had to make changes […]

Malden confronts the new COVID-19 reality

March 14, 2020 professorschorow 0

By Stephanie Schorow The full impact of the COVID-19 crisis hit Malden this past week with the announcement Thursday night that the city’s public schools would be closed indefinitely and that public gatherings, such as public meetings not required by law, would be curtailed. As of Monday, March 16, City Hall will be closed to the general public for two weeks. Departments can still be reached by phone and/or email and further details will follow. The Malden Senior Center has ceased all activities for its members until further notice and the Malden Public Library announced Friday it will close for two weeks. Local businesses and organizations are considering ways to operate remotely or whether they should stay open at all. Beginning Monday, Malden Public Schools will provide free lunch and breakfast to all Malden students at two locations: Malden High School and the Salemwood School. The meals are “grab and go,” Superintendent John Oteri told Neighborhood View on Friday. Breakfast will be from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parents may […]

Education

Building a Business and the Role of Generosity

March 4, 2020 joanneelie 1

By Joanne Elie More than 70 people gathered at J Malden Center on Wednesday evening, Feb. 5, to listen to five local business owners talk about how they managed to give back to their community while keeping their businesses afloat. Panelists at the “Building a Business and the Role of Generosity” event shared the reasons they chose to run a business in the first place, which was to help empower their community. Generosity was the theme of the night. This theme was reflected in the topic of discussion and by the contributions both in-kind and fiscal by the many sponsors. United Peoples Bank sponsored the event and J Malden Center contributed the beautiful amenity space. J Malden Center is a new mixed use development with a high-end housing complex, retail spaces, and Malden city offices. The community space has a modern, suave design with a colorful young vitality. The center has become a structural symbol of Malden’s commitment to enhancing its community and exemplifies a business focused on community. Other generous contributors to this event […]