LYNN — Salem Five Bank recently donated $20,000 to a soup kitchen’s dining room renovation project that was launched to meet increasing demand for food services.

My Brother’s Table, the largest soup kitchen on the North Shore, celebrated the grand reopening of its dining room in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 17. The $400,000 renovation project expanded its facility to seat 120 guests after it was closed during the pandemic and only offered takeout meals.

“Salem Five is proud to partner with My Brother’s Table to fill a pressing need for access to free meals in the Lynn community,” Salem Five President and CEO Ping Yin Chai said. “I’m proud of our local team, which worked quickly to better understand My Brother’s Table’s challenges and how we could help.”

Food and hospitality demand skyrocketed since the pandemic and the onset of inflation, which increased supply costs, My Brother’s Table Executive Director Dianne Kuzia Hills said.

“We are very grateful to receive this donation from Salem Five,” Kuzia Hills said. “In 2019, we served 200,000 meals. Last year, that number rose to 975,000. Salem Five’s generosity comes at a time when it is really needed for Greater Lynn’s individuals and families struggling with food insecurity or hunger.”

In addition to celebrating the milestone with a ribbon cutting, the community was invited to an open house on Sunday, May 19 to tour the renovated space and learn about the organization’s ongoing work.