When the Valley Lodging Boarding House in Lawrence was condemned last May, "39 residents were given three days to move out and find new housing. Five people were lucky enough to find housing in another rooming house, a few others received help from the Lazarus House and Daybreak Emergency Shelters."¹ Many of the tenants were on a fixed income, elderly or disabled and had nowhere to go. Some of the displaced residents started sleeping in a nearby park or under Central Bridge in Lawrence while waiting for housing space to become available - for those people our Good Shepherd Soup Kitchen and the evening distribution of meals from the Lazarus House Emergency Shelter were a lifeline to survival.

"We saw a surge of people coming to get the evening meal bags when the boarding house closed," shared a Lazarus Shelter staff member, "six months later many of them are still homeless and come here for food." 40% of the people who come to the shelter between 9 - 11 p.m. for their evening bagged meals work and can't get to the food pantry or soup kitchen in time; 60% are homeless and living on the street or are unemployed. Last fiscal year the shelter distributed more than 18,800 bagged meals.

Hardest hit in this area are the recently unemployed and the growing number of families that use the bagged meals to supplement their weekly food supply. One mother, recently laid-off, went from one state agency to the next looking for assistance with very little result. She found out, after filling out mountains of paperwork and hours of waiting, she didn't qualify for many services because she received an unemployment check. Unfortunately, this same amount wasn't enough money to cover much more than her rent. She expressed her appreciation to the Lazarus House staff not only for the food that provided a meal for herself and her young child but the fact that all she had to do was "come to the door, ask for food and it was provided without having to prove that I was hungry!" A Lazarus House employee pointed out, "the people we see at the door are so desperate to find any kind of work, but there is nothing out there for them. Plus, if you don't have a car then you are out of luck!"

 Another mother relies on the bagged meals for her children. She works during the day and her toddlers attend a daycare where lunch is not provided. Without this program her children would not have a lunchtime meal.

Lazarus House depends on volunteers to make help make the bagged meals because it takes the staff so long to do. Many groups have generously donated their time, but one group from the Students for Exceptional Studies, an alternative school at Lawrence High School, has been coming to put together the bags twice a week for three years. Kelly Townsend, Volunteer Coordinator said, "These kids are an absolute perfect fit for our needs. They come in, know exactly what to do and are happy to help; they're one of my favorite volunteer groups!"

"Mario, is legally blind, but can do so much all by himself. Nichelle is focused and the fastest sandwich maker in the group. Jason puts the meat on the bread and will carry the baskets of food downstairs. Chris likes to make the sandwiches and is particularly patient with the newest member of the group, Joshua, as he learns how to do everything. As a group, they all love to give back and help other people; volunteering gives them the chance to work together as a team," commented Eileen, who coordinates the group for Lazarus House.

Their instructor Rosa commented, "We want the students to be a part of the community; learn a new skill or job and teach them to be independent and an important part of the neighborhood they live in."

If you would like to find out more about the services that Lazarus House provides contact us for a tour at (978) 269-5213. The people served by Lazarus House live a daily struggle to get their most basic needs met. Our food and clothing programs assist families by stretching their dollars so they can afford rent, heat and utilities. Housing provides a safe haven for homeless families and individuals. Our education and work preparation programs enable guests to become self-reliant and permanently move out of poverty.

¹Jim Patten, Put out on the street in Lawrence, May 18, 2012.  http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x1561284718/Put-out-on-the-street-in-Lawrence