Shown from left to right: Ward 6 Councillor Stephen Winslow, BOL Board of Directors VP Mary Beth Leon, BOL Board Member Liz Lombardozzi, Bookkeeper Cindy Robillard and Mayor Gary Christenson. (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino)
Advocate Newspapers August 7, 2025
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By Tara Vocino
Bread of Life, a food pantry distribution, has now sponsored all 13 garden beds, as of Friday morning. “I love the beautiful planters,” said Mayor Gary Christenson, who purchased the last garden bed on Friday morning to sponsor alongside the city council.
Christenson thanked Bread of Life (BOL) for making the garden planters happen. “We are grateful that the Bread of Life not only built a great facility for our community but also beautified the grounds in and around this space,” Christenson said. “Any way that we can support the Bread of Life we should do so.”
Christenson said it enhances the already beautiful building — enacted August 11, 2024.
The city garners Community Development Block Grant, Home, American Rescue Plan Act and Community Preservation Committee grant funding to support the soup kitchen, funding 27 percent of the overall project cost, or approximately $3.5 million.
Ward 4 Councillor Ryan O’Malley said Bread of Life should be applauded as the first property owner to place the primary entrance to its building on the Northern Strand Community Trail. “Just like the trail, the Bread of Life is a central connecting force in our community,” O’Malley said. “The organization doesn’t just provide meals to our community — it nourishes our hearts and souls.
“Bread of Life recognizes the dignity in those it serves and helps us achieve our greatest potential. The beautiful gardens along the trail are just a small example of that powerful visionary force.”
Ward 6 Councillor Stephen Winslow said Bread of Life’s mission to feed the body and souls of those most in need in and around Malden has drawn together a network of community partners that support that key work addressing food insecurity. “Their dual mission acknowledges the reality that people have a hard time making their lives better if their main concern is where the next meal will be coming from,” Winslow said. “My initial personal collaboration began by helping with holiday food and meal drives and through Bike to the Sea’s vegetable and food drives like the recently started ‘Cranksgiving.’”
Winslow added that once the Northern Strand Community Trail opened, Bread of Life immediately saw the potential of the trail to be a more welcoming way for people to access its services and then ensured the trailside of their new facility would become more welcoming by planning a patio and planting space. “I really want to thank BOL and all the planter bed sponsors for putting in and caring for the wonderful trailside greenery,” Winslow said. “What once often had been a forgotten, littered space along a parking lot now stands out as a beautiful spot for residents and the public.”
Salem Five Malden Branch Manager Robert Green was the founding planting organization last September. The team from 90 Highland Ave. was part of the approval process. The bank is involved in their fundraising events and is one of the sponsors of the annual fall walk at Pine Banks Park. “What Bread of Life does for the community is critically important,” Green said. “Therefore, Salem 5 wanted to be able to contribute to their success.”
He added that no one should feel that food should be a scarcity item for them, especially families and children. Bread of Life provides the resources and comfort level to obtain that. “Food insecurity should never be a part of anyone’s vocabulary,” Green said.
Eagle Bank Community Reinvestment Officer Christopher DiBenedetto, who works at 350 Broadway in Everett, sponsored a garden planter in June. “This is a phenomenal organization,” he said. “Any way that we can be ‘the winds beneath the wings’ — Bread of Life have a backpack drive for the students of Everett in August, and the mobile food market is weekly at Lafayette Elementary School.”
DiBenedetto said one can’t sustain a neighborhood or community without food. “Food is the Bread of Life,” DiBenedetto said. “Food is the building block to make the body stronger — it’s the stabilization of the house.”
East Cambridge Savings Bank Assistant Vice President Fiona Nattabi said East Cambridge Savings Bank is a local bank that has been serving communities for over 170 years
“Serving and supporting local communities and organizations like Bread of Life is at the heart of what we do,” Nattabi said. “We are honored to support the great work that Bread of Life does for the greater Malden community to address the issue of food insecurity.”
The colorful display at the Bread of Life planters is a great way for the community to not only enjoy the flowers as they use the trail, but also to raise awareness of this great organization. Everyone at ECSB appreciates the great work that Bread of Life does each day, and they look forward to the continued partnership.
Malden resident Janis Moriarty sponsored a garden bed last August in honor of her cousin, Kathleen McKenna — a board member since 1992. “I thought what a perfect opportunity to honor her and do something nice to support the Bread of Life,” Moriarty said. “She has gardens at home and volunteers pretty much all of her time here.”
Moriarty said people often take food for granted. “I have tried to expose my son, Brendan, 18, to volunteer opportunities to help those less fortunate in the community, which could start at any age, to create a life-long awareness,” Moriarty said. “Volunteering here opens your eyes to the needs.”
Bread of Life Development Director Patty Kelly said people may be able to sponsor pavers between the garden beds. “My favorite part of the new building is the garden beds, because it’s a community effort,” Kelly said. “Volunteers from the Bridge Recovery Center maintain and water them, brightening the bicycle path for hundreds of people who walk and ride … making it a great first impression.”
Kelly said Bread of Life is grateful to have the beds all sponsored since the building opened last August.
Garrick-Santo Landscape Co. built the planters. “They come by and add mulch,” Kelly said. “Robert Santo and his team Garrick-Santo take a lot in pride in what they do.”
Signs were printed by David Gardner, of Boyd’s Direct, a longtime friend of Bread of Life. Sponsors include Freedom Hill Community Church, Janis Moriarty, Frank and Patty Kelly, Edwin and Marilyn Andrews, Salem Five Bank, Dennis Donnelly, 2024 Bread of Life Board of Directors, East Cambridge Savings Bank, Columbia Construction, Janet Green and Thomas Hutchinson, Eagle Bank, Edwin and Marilyn Andrews (two planters) and Mayor Gary Christenson and the Malden City Council.