Uncategorized Archives - Page 27 of 30

Special Olympic athletes strike gold at the lanes and in life

November 10, 2015 karengarden 0

Every Sunday the Bowling Stones, a Malden-based Special Olympics team begin their morning bowling at Town Line Luxury Lanes. They are part of Special Olympics Massachusetts, and are coached by certified Special Olympic mentors. The Special Olympics mission remains as vital today as it was when the movement was founded in 1968. Special Olympics strives to create a better world by fostering the acceptance and inclusion of all people. This group of athletes range in age from 16-63, some live at home and some in group homes. What is apparent immediately is how close they are and how much this Sunday bowling event means to them. They’re happy when anyone gets a strike, and no one gets upset if their ball goes into the gutter or misses the mark. The coaches, some of whom are parents, know that these athletes benefit from social activities. One coach mentioned that these special Olympians don’t often get to socialize at the malls, nor do what many of their peers take for granted as everyday popular activities. Therefore the coaches ensure […]

Donor organizations honor Malden’s non-profit Bread of Life

October 29, 2015 azanzirsa 0

Community Cooks of Somerville held a “Just for You” event at the Charlesgate Yacht Club in Cambridge to celebrate their most loyal donors and partner organizations. Community Cooks coordinates a network of over 780 volunteers from 61 Boston-area cities and towns, who offer free home cooked meals to vulnerable citizens by supporting 35 direct-service partner agencies. Malden-based Bread of Life is one of their direct-service partner organizations that receive monthly distributions. It was in response to the impressive work by Bread of Life to feed the hungry and homeless in the metro-north area that brought them to the attention of Community Cooks. Based in Malden, Bread of Life is a faith-based organization that offers: Free evening meals Tuesday through Friday in Malden. Food pantries in Malden and Everett. Grocery distribution to seniors in Malden, Everett, Melrose, Medford and Wakefield public housing. Food distribution to homeless families temporarily sheltered in local motels. Mobile outreach to homeless and clothing ministry. Bread of Life, represented by Executive Director Thomas Feagley and Board Member Kathleen McKenna, addressed the attendees at […]

Second annual STEPS Awareness Walk to End Domestic Violence

October 20, 2015 azanzirsa 0

This year has witnessed the violent deaths of 13 victims in Massachusetts to the insidious domestic abuse. National statistics from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has stated that 1 in 3 women and one in four men have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. One in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90 percent of those children are eyewitnesses to this violence. On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide. The Zonta Club of Malden and the Teen Enrichment Center of Malden held their second annual STEPS awareness walk to end domestic violence on Sunday October 11, 2015. Lisa Jacobson, president of the Zonta Club of Malden, kicked off the occasion by sharing some history of Zonta, the purpose of the walk and thanking all who came out to participate. Mayor Gary Christenson shared some unnerving statistics on the frequency of domestic violence, then spoke about the services that Malden is […]

MSAC celebrates five decades of Medicare & Medicaid

August 25, 2015 karengarden 0

On August 6, 2015, members of Mass. Senior Action Council from around the state gathered in Dorchester at the MSAC’s main office to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. We were joined by partners and supporters from organizations such as MassCare and Mass. Alliance of Retired Americans. Although millions of seniors have been helped by Medicare and Medicaid these plans are threatened with cuts and elimination therefore we must strive to sustain both. Expansion for all is a priority. Twenty-eight states have adopted the Affordable Care Act which expands Medicaid. Massachusetts has not. Lobbyist for physicians insurance companies and pharmaceuticals and other special interest groups would like to dismantle Medicare and Medicaid. We cannot continue to allow corporate interest to supersede the health and well-being of the citizens. Health care is a human right therefore we need to continue to educate and fight for single-payer healthcare. Single-payer healthcare is a system where government rather than private insurers pays for all health care costs. To view the completed video go to MATV’s program schedule […]

Featured

Negotiations continue to secure funding for Housing Families and Youth Harbor

June 30, 2015 karengarden 0

Laura Rosi, director of housing and advocacy for Housing Families, Inc. (HFI) of Malden presented the increased need for funding to the legislators at the State House on June 2. Rosi was accompanied by Kelly Irving, case manager, Rhonda Dunn and Clarissa Thomas, recipients of assistance from HFI. Joining were Sam Margolius, of Youth Harbor, and Cyril Fonrose, who was helped by Youth Harbor. Youth Harbor assists homeless, unaccompanied high school students with housing and individual life skills in order to become self-sufficient. There has been a request for $2 million put into the budget. Margolius thanked Senator Lewis for the support. Youth Harbor has not had public funding before. For the record, there are an estimated 5,000 homeless, unaccompanied high school students in Massachusetts. Fonrose told his story of being left on his own as a teenager. He was in Malden High School and was referred to Margolilus, the high school representative of Youth Harbor. Margolius was able to help Fonrose get housing and assisted him with college admissions. The group first met with […]

Boda Borg interactive quest sensation to occupy Sparks building

May 27, 2015 kyliegailgarcia 0

Enter a building with a maze of hallways and an array of doors. You have no idea what challenges lie behind each door and no instructions in regards to how to master these quests. This is the Swedish interactive quest sensation known as Boda Borg and, believe it or not, it is coming to Malden. Expected as early as this summer, Boda Borg will occupy the old Sparks department store building located on Pleasant Street in Malden. It will be a facility that houses about 18 quests, the first U.S. location. Ready to learn more about the challenges offered by Boda Borg? Take a look at this video of Neighborhood View reporter Kylie Garcia’s recent chat with Chad Ellis of Boda Borg.

‘Elder Lobby Day’ advocates for home care for seniors

March 10, 2015 azanzirsa 0

“Home Care First” was the chant heard in the halls of the Massachusetts State House as a coalition of advocacy groups stood in solidarity urging state lawmakers to restore funding to services that keep elderly citizens at home. Massachusetts faces an estimated $1.5 billion deficit in the 2016 fiscal year’s budget. Since the budget cannot be officially approved with this deficit, some painful cuts necessitate the balancing of the budget. Advocacy groups for older Americans such as Mass Senior Action Group, AARP Massachusetts, Mystic Valley Elder Services and Mass Home Care made it clear that significant cost savings had already been made by providing home-based care services to elder citizens as opposed to putting them in extremely expensive nursing facilities. Community care programs like home care have reduced nursing facility costs by $853 million in 2015 compared to costs in 2000 – all due to 34 percent reduction in the number of patient days in institutions. There are an estimated 10,000 empty nursing facility beds today because of community alternatives. The per capita use of nursing […]

Malden’s Suffolk Square is a forgotten Jewish enclave

February 18, 2015 sharonsantillo 276

Have you ever heard the term banker’s hours? This usually refers to being open for the shortest, most inconvenient hours. But back before Suffolk Square in Malden, Massachusetts was leveled for urban renewal, banker’s hours had a whole different meaning. Suffolk Square was a Jewish enclave in Malden, the heart of which was in the vicinity of Cross and Bryant streets and the old Lincoln Junior High School. When Elaine Lubin’s grandparents wanted to buy land in Malden, the large, established banks in Malden Square weren’t where they went for a mortgage. The Jewish bank in Suffolk Square, Progressive Workmen’s Credit Union, saw the potential in this hard-working Polish Catholic couple who had immigrated to Massachusetts from Vilna in what is now Lithuania. They approved of their plan for a small dairy farm in the area of Bowdoin Street and Bent Avenue and gave them a mortgage for the property that they then purchased from Mrs. Bent. When Elaine’s parents needed a car loan for their new blue Plymouth, they also went to Mr. Eiseman at […]

Featured

An honest conversation of Ferguson and beyond

January 9, 2015 karengarden 0

On Saturday, December 13, 2014, Mai Du, of Wah Lum Academy in Malden, brought a call to action from the community. Du hosted a forum entitled “An Honest Conversation of Ferguson and Beyond.” She wanted teens and children to speak their thoughts on the happenings of late, and to get more involved. The group of about 75 people consisted of teens, younger children and adults. The program was facilitated by a group of teens. In the beginning, large blank papers were placed around the room for participants to place stick-ums on, according to categories including fears, hopes and questions, etc. The leaders reviewed what had happened in Ferguson, with the known facts. Then participants were given a pre-determined subject to discuss in small groups of six. People were grouped with diverse ages, races and ethnicities. The groups were given about 20 minutes to discuss among themselves. Then, all joined again in the large group to share what came out of the small groups. These groups met three-to-four times with different questions, and would again join […]

No more frozen food for Malden High School

January 1, 2015 candeladiazd 0

In recent years, First Lady Michelle Obama has been working on lunch programs to help improve the way kids eat all across the country. It has reached Malden, and a new lunch program was introduced, tackling the issue of “no more frozen food” for the students. The new program is run by a private company named Whitson Culinary, that was chosen by Superintendent of Malden Public Schools Dr. David DeRousi. The lunches are weekly chosen by the two chefs that run the program and the plates vary in taste and origin, from Mexican nachos to American burgers to Italian pizza. The program is “committed to providing wholesome, high-quality menus, prepared fresh daily from locally sourced ingredients whenever available and in season.” as said by the Whitson Company website. One of the most liked features by the students at Malden High School is the salad bar. Although the company was not sure they would have enough people to work at the bar and assist all the students, Principal Dana Brown convinced the team to bring the salad […]