Chelsea again named All-America City by National Civic League

The National Civic League recognized the city of Chelsea as one of 10 All-America City award winners during an awards ceremony on June 29 in Denver, Colorado.

The 2026 edition of the All-America City awards focused on efforts to strengthen civic health and build trust.

More than 60 city representatives, including staff, local officials, community leaders, and residents, were present for the award ceremony. Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez said that the city’s application highlighted “the heart of Chelsea, and the passion and culture of Chelsea.”

“What makes Chelsea unique is that where there’s a challenge or something affecting the community, we get together and rally and create collaborative teams to solve a problem,” Maltez said.

Chelsea’s application focused on addressing food insecurity, community trust in policing, and youth development and education.

“Civic health to us means supporting all of the city’s residents,” Maltez said.

During the COVID pandemic, food insecurity surged among Chelsea residents, with undocumented residents particularly vulnerable due to ineligibility for government food programs. In response, the city worked with residents, nonprofits, community groups, and faith organizations to build a network that could quickly respond to meet critical needs.

That network, said Maltez, has outlived the pandemic and is still working to eliminate food insecurity in Chelsea.

The Chelsea Police Department has prioritized community-centered policing and strengthening community relationships through participation in community meetings and dialogue. The Police Department assembled the Downtown Task Force, a cross-sector group addressing quality-of-life issues through outreach, created Faith & Blue events to connect officers and residents through faith-based gatherings, and worked to build a diverse police force that is reflective of Chelsea’s residents.

In response to high dropout risk for over-age, under-credited, multilingual, and working students, Chelsea Public Schools created the Chelsea Opportunity Academy, which emphasizes competency over attendance and is tailored to student schedules and needs. The academy was developed through engagement with students, families, and critical stakeholders, and students are treated as partners in their own educational journey.

Maltez said that the programs sit “at the core of meeting the needs of residents and meeting residents where they are.”

“When we do that, we create a strong fabric in our community that sets up a base for more engaged residents,” Maltez said. “This is a hard time for immigrant communities, a hard time around the country. What we’ve learned is that the answer is always the same: to get back together, to work with each other, and work on the solutions that are going to benefit our residents most.”