LAWRENCE, Mass. -- Lazarus House is feeling a severe squeeze in donations this fall as the organization tries to meet the needs of thousands of people.

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Watch Jim Boyd's Report Lazarus House How can I donate? Donations can be mailed to: Lazarus House Ministries, Inc. 48 Holly Street P.O. Box 48 Lawrence, MA 01842 Needs list Learn more about the organization

NewsCenter 5's Jim Boyd said that volunteers are working to make sure that families in Lawrence have a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

"We find ourselves behind with 1,500 families to feed during the course of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays," Lazarus House spokeswoman Bridget Shaheen said.

Lawrence is the poorest community in New England, Boyd said. Nearly 90 percent of the children in the school system come from families living below the poverty level.

This year, the donations have not reached levels of previous years.

"Because of Sept. 11, because of the ensuing plane crash, because of the warm weather and the earliness of the holiday, (people) haven't really focused on the holidays as early as they usually do," Shaheen said.

Lazarus House has begun issuing dinners to some families, and they said that they will pack food boxes, trying to make sure that there is enough food for all the families in need.

"Everything helps. Anything helps," Lawrence resident Miguel Cuevas said.