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Founded in 1998, Ricesticks and Tea (RST) is a food pantry program serving over 120 pre-screened low-income Asian immigrant and refugee families each month. The program began as a collaboration between the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry and The Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence. Ricesticks and Tea was created in response to legislation that denied food stamps to all immigrants regardless of their circumstances. Battered immigrant women and children as well as the elderly are among the most affected.
In 2003, Tufts Medical Center, recognizing the need to provide healthful nutrition information as well as food supplies, began funding and assisting with the development of a nutrition education component consisting of health and nutrition-oriented workshops at 8-10 monthly sessions each year with culturally and linguistically appropriate materials to benefit clients and their families.
Every second Saturday of the month, Tufts Medical Center staff members, members of the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, and volunteers package and distribute food at the Arlington Street Church in Boston. To volunteer, please direct your inquiry to ricesticksandtea@gmail.com.
As food that is familiar to Asian immigrants and their families is not commonly found in mainstream food pantries, the program raises funds to purchase items that are consistent with their cultural cooking traditions. Donations are greatly appreciated and they can be directed to:
Ricesticks and Tea
c/o AACA
87 Tyler Street
Boston, MA 02111
For more information on donating to the program or other questions, contact Sherry Dong at 617-636-1628 or via email at
sdong@tuftsmedicalcenter.org.
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