Please join AALAM for its lunar new year party, hosted at Proskauer Rose LLP on Monday, February 26, 6-8 pm.
This year, AALAM is celebrating the lunar new year with a special request that AALAM members help some of the neediest amongst us.
Ricesticks and Tea, the only Asian food pantry in the Greater Boston area, is an emergency food pantry program that delivers culturally-appropriate food (noodles, jasmine rice, Chinese vegetables) together with other food from the Greater Boston Food Bank, of which RST is a member agency. Each month, RST delivers food to over 100 households, reaching almost 300 elders, adults and children. The average annual income of a single-person elderly client household of RST is about $9,000. That means that RST clients invariably suffer from the lack of adequate food. Unfortunately, in recent years, food costs have risen dramatically, particularly the cost of rice, which means that more households are going hungry, and RST is short on funds and may face issues with staying open.
RST is unique in that it has been a completely volunteer-run food pantry program, run by a small group of committed volunteers. AALAM has had a long standing relationship with RST. Many AALAM members have volunteered at and held leadership roles within this monthly emergency food pantry program over the years, some volunteering for over 10 years.
To get RST back on track, RST steering committee member and past AALAM President, Rebecca A. Lee, and AALAM have each committed to match up to $5,000 in donations by AALAM members to Ricesticks and Tea during the month of February. This means that if AALAM members in the aggregate contribute at least $5,000, AALAM itself will power up those donations with $5,000 and Rebecca A. Lee will also match those funds with an additional $5,000, so your donations will have triple impact.
Please give generously – RST’s food budget is $2,800/month. Let’s raise enough to ensure the survival of this crucial resource for Boston area Asian American families.
You can contribute by check made payable to Ricesticks and Tea/AACA, Box 120681, Boston, MA 02111 or online at www.ricesticksandtea.org. Please note “AALAM match” on your check or on-line, so we can ensure your funds are matched by Rebecca and AALAM.
Thank you for participating in this special lunar new year’s donation drive.
Best regards,
AALAM - Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts
Asian