Malden YMCA is Cause-Driven, Continues to Care for Community

Malden, MA – The Malden YMCA has been serving the Everett, Malden and Medford communities since 1881 with programs focused on healthy living, youth development and social responsibility. Despite facility closures and program cancelations in response to the COVID-19 crisis, they have retooled their efforts to offer virtual fitness programs, regular phone check-ins with vulnerable members, and a dramatic ramp-up of emergency food and meal distribution.

Since April 1 alone, the Malden YMCA has served 3,091 households from throughout Greater Boston through its markets (food pantries). Households can visit one of the Y’s markets once a week and receives an approximately 24 lb. bag or box of fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable groceries. The Malden YMCA operates two food pantries – the Mystic Community Market in Medford and Malden YMCA Market at the Malden YMCA’s main branch in Malden – and supports a third at Eliot Family Resource Center in Everett. The Y is also delivering weekly groceries to the doorsteps of over 200 seniors unable to visit a market. The Y is providing grab-and-go meals for youth at 10 sites in Medford and Malden. In Medford, meals are distributed with support and partnership from the Medford Recreation Department and volunteers at 7 sites throughout the City (sites and additional resources can be found here: http://www.medfordma.org/food-resources-in-medford/). In Malden, Y staff are providing meals at our main branch and two housing developments. All children receive a grab-and-go hot lunch and bagged breakfast for the following day. At this time, the Y is serving 225 youth every weekday and the numbers continue to grow.

As more and more Massachusetts residents face unemployment and the economic toll of this crisis, the Malden Y’s food assistance programs keep growing to keep pace with the need. “We could not meet this growing demand without the assistance of so many. In these trying times, the Malden YMCA has witnessed the word ‘community’ come to life,” said Debbie Amaral, CEO of the Malden YMCA. The Y has reallocated staff from multiple departments to work on the front lines in food distribution. Additionally, many members of the Medford community, in particular, have joined the effort as volunteers at the Mystic Community Market, which is serving nearly 400 households a day at that location.

Local grocery stores like Wegmans, Stop & Shop in Malden, and Whole Foods Market in Medford have donated food containers to help the Y break down large food donations into family-sized portions. Tufts Health Plan sent 5,000 reusable grocery bags in the past month. BJ’s Wholesale Club in Medford, the Medford Fire Department, New England Honda Dealers, Malden Police Department, and more have delivered donations of food, personal protection equipment, and more.

The Y receives most of its food for distribution through The Greater Boston Food Bank, but has also been receiving food rescue donations via Food Link, Aldi, Target, and a handful of local restaurants and function halls that had to close their doors, but did not want their perishable foods to go to waste. Local companies like Accardi Foods of Medford are helping by providing a dock-height truck and driver once a week at no cost to help with additional food deliveries needed to meet the community demand.

The Malden Y established a COVID-19 Response Fund to help support these efforts, since it has put all membership fees on hold until they reopen and there is no income from programs and childcare. Many Malden Y members are donating back their membership fees to help support the COVID-19 emergency services. Local companies including Exelon, Agero, Inc., Wegmans, Members Plus Credit Union, East Cambridge Savings Bank, Verizon, and East Boston Savings Bank have made gifts to the Fund. “The YMCA has really stepped up to help residents in Everett, Malden and Medford who are in need of food,” said Exelon’s Communications Manager, Carol Churchill. “We’re honored to partner with them by providing a $10,000 donation and hope other companies will join us in helping those who are struggling to cope during these unprecedented times.”

Foundations including The Foundation Trust, The Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation, the Waldron Charitable Fund, and United Way of Mass Bay and Merrimack Valley have also contributed, and local individuals have made generous gifts to the Fund. To make a donation to the Malden YMCA's COVID-19 Response Fund, please visit: http://bit.ly/2xGjF2t or contact Lindsay Smythe at LSmythe@ymcamalden.org.

“We are truly grateful for our dedicated staff, our generous members and volunteers, and our communities. We thank you all for standing with us during this dark time in our society and for helping us remain cause driven through it all,” said Amaral. “We look forward to reopening in the future, welcoming our members back and celebrating with all who helped us continue to care for our community in its time of need.”

For individuals and families in need of groceries:

· Mystic Community Market located at 291 Mystic Ave. in Medford is open: Monday- 10 AM to 2 PM; Tuesday & Wednesday-10 AM to 2 PM/4:30-7.30 PM; Thursday-Closed; Friday-10 AM to 2 PM; Saturday-9 AM to 1 PM.

· Malden YMCA Market located at 125 Mountain Ave., in Malden is open: Monday through Friday-10 AM to 2 PM; Saturday-9AM to 1PM.

· Eliot Family Resource Center located at 548 Broadway in Everett is open two days a week from 10AM to 1PM. Please call 781-581-4750.

About the Malden YMCA

For over 140 years, the Malden YMCA has supported the foundations of community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. From its facility in downtown Malden as well as community outreach sites in Malden, Everett and Medford, the Y serves over 23,000 individuals in a typical year. To learn more visit www.ymcamalden.org and connect with them on Facebook: @YMCAMalden.