Salem Rotarians are often doing good behind the scenes. Case in point is our work at LifeBridge. Salem Rotarians routinely volunteer to cook meals at LifeBridge. Lifebridge North Shore has been caring for Salem’s most vulnerable neighbors for more than four decades. It began in the late 1970s as a soup kitchen run by the Crombie Street Congregational Church and has grown into a regional nonprofit with locations in Salem, Beverly, and Gloucester. Its main campus at 56 Margin Street in downtown Salem provides emergency shelter, supportive housing, showers, clothing and hygiene items, and a Day Center open to anyone in need, with no paperwork required. Lifebridge’s mission is to offer men and women the opportunities they need to end their homelessness, and it is grounded in a belief in the dignity and worth of every person.

Community meals are at the heart of Lifebridge’s work. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served on Margin Street throughout the week, often using fresh produce from the organization’s own Seeds of Hope garden. Lifebridge relies on volunteers to make these meals possible, and members of the Salem Rotary Club regularly prepare and serve dinner there. For us, it is one of the most direct ways to live out Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self” right here in our own city. To learn more about volunteering or supporting Lifebridge, call 978-744-0500 or visit lifebridgenorthshore.org.