The Salem News: Christmas at Lifebridge North Shore Fill Stomachs, Lift Spirits
12-29-2025Excerpt from “Christmas at Lifebridge North Shore fill stomachs, lift spirits” by Michael McHugh:
“Serving free Christmas Day meals for more than four decades, [Judith] Black said that despite increased demands, it remains a mix of people from different backgrounds who come by to receive a free meal.
‘Interestingly, things remain similar to other years,’ she said. ‘There’s some people who fall on hard times and may be able to get back on their feet in the next year or so, so we won’t see them again. And then there’s a lot of people with chronic health issues, and because we don’t have a strong social-safety net, they end up coming back every year. There’s also people who just have very limited incomes. You can work full-time at Walmart and still need to come here. It’s always a mix.'”