Chinese Progressive Association

CONTACT:

28 Ash Street
Boston, MA 02111
617-357-4499
www.cpaboston.org

Lydia M. Lowe, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

CPA (Catalogue ’00) has continued to flourish; it now has a great opportunity to share with our donors. Founded in 1977, CPA last year directly served 4000 Chinese-Americans with many excellent immigrant-support and citizenship programs. Their constituency is rapidly increasing — to 20,000 in Boston, 85,000 statewide; 5,000 live in Chinatown — mainly low-income immigrants and seniors. Chinatown has been the heart of New England's Chinese community for over a century, but it needs protection. In the last 50 years, two-thirds of its land base has been lost to turnpike construction, major-institution growth within its residential core, and a scandalous 1974 decision by city leaders to place the Combat Zone next-door! Today’s downtown “revitalization” threatens further to displace immigrant working families and mom-and-pop businesses. CPA's leadership in community preservation secured a parcel intended for an 8-story parking garage(!) to become a community facility — 46% affordable housing, and over 30,000 sq. ft. for community agencies, including CPA. This accession to landowner status will strengthen CPA's credentials in protecting Chinatown. So they launched a capital campaign, to raise $1.5M in three years — in time for its 30th anniversary! Half will come from foundations and corporations, half from individuals. CPA is now half-way to both the deadline and the dollar-goal. You can help — be a hero!

(2004: HUMAN SERVICES: Well-Being)