Photo Gallery: Together for Women
05-30-2025On Wednesday, May 8th, the ballroom of the historic Hawthorne Hotel in Salem came alive with compassion, commitment, and community as 240 guests gathered for Together for Women, an empowering event hosted by Lifebridge North Shore to support vulnerable women in the region.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of attendees and sponsors, the event raised over $200,000, including over $100,000 during the live fund-a-need appeal—doubling the original goal. These funds will go directly toward providing resources, shelter, and holistic support to women experiencing homelessness, particularly those at River House, Lifebridge’s women-only shelter in Beverly and the only one of its kind on the North Shore.
The afternoon began with a warm welcome and roundtable conversation, followed by remarks from Development Committee Co-Chair Laura Tyrrell (Co-Chair Lyn Freeman was unable to attend) and Committee member Bernadette Butterfield. Veteran news anchor and podcast host Kim Carrigan introduced the event’s powerful panel, which was moderated by Candie Sanderson, Associate Director of Clinical Services at Lifebridge. Panelists included: Chelsey Buckley, River House Program Director, Sara Roizen, Art Therapist and Alice Merkl, Councilor at Large, Salem, MA
The discussion explored the multifaceted challenges women face on the path to stability, highlighting the need for trauma-informed care and community support. Panelists underscored that every woman deserves dignity, safety, and the opportunity to heal and rebuild.
During the emotionally charged Fund-a-Need, supporters raised their paddles high to help fund essential services—from emergency shelter and clinical support to costs associated with moving women into permanent supportive housing.
Gallery
Photography donated in-kind by Eventide Photography
Click the thumbnail to view the full photo.
What else can I do to help vulnerable women on the North Shore?
If you want to channel your support into activities beyond more than monetary contributions, there are several actions you can take to help progress the work of Lifebridge.
- #1 Advocate – through your local governments, towns, networks and social circles. Your elected leaders, friends and neighbors need to know issues surrounding homelessness are important to you.
- #2 Donate – monetary gifts are certainly essential for our work to continue but gifts of goods and services are also impactful. Essentials like medical supplies, clothing, hygiene products, furniture, yes. But in line with our conversation last week, consider items that will help a woman feel dignified and special – makeup, accessories, bathrobes and slippers, etc.
- #3 Connect – say hello and acknowledge people. Human connection, if only in a passing moment, can have a big impact.
- #4 Volunteer/Visit – if you want to explore more ways to connect with Lifebridge on a deeper level through volunteering – we welcome individuals and groups – and have a variety of opportunities at our shelters and stores, in our kitchen, and in our governance and committee work. We’re also happy to have you visit one of our shelters to get a better understanding of our day-to-day work.