While many celebrate the holiday season with warm dinners, some individuals face food insecurity during this time. At the River Restaurant & Lounge in Portsmouth, the owner and dedicated volunteers provided a hot Christmas dinner to those in need.
Lonnie Goldsome, a man experiencing homelessness, expressed immense gratitude for the generosity. “I came out here to get this wonderful, glorious free food,” Goldsome said.
For Goldsome, the meal held significant meaning. “I’m homeless, and I appreciate them giving a good meal because sometimes food is hard to find,” he added. He noted that without the River Restaurant's outreach, he would have spent Christmas panhandling on the streets.
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“I would have been panhandling or out there in the street. I was doing that earlier, hoping someone would stop and give me a free meal,” Goldsome said.
In addition to serving hot dinners, George Williams, owner of the River Restaurant & Lounge, and organizer Darnell Riddick provided free clothing and shoes to attendees. Riddick, who has firsthand experience with homelessness, understands the challenges faced by those he serves.
“I’ve been homeless before, and I know how it feels to be out in the cold with nothing to eat and nobody loving you,” Riddick said.
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When asked about the importance of giving back to the homeless community, Riddick reflected on his past struggles. “I was homeless, had a stroke, and I lost my mother at the same time. These people don’t know me, so I hope I can give them the strength to turn their lives around,” he commented.
The organizers are already looking forward to continuing their Christmas dinner tradition next year.
