The Thanksgiving tradition of supporting The Open Door in Gloucester and Ipswich and Beverly Bootstraps through contributions of turkeys and the assorted trimmings has expanded the local food pantries’ total food contribution to the community.
Julie LaFontaine, president and CEO of The Open Door, said the present need for food assistance is greater than in years past.
“The Open Door has seen a double-digit increase in requests for food assistance in 2024,” she said.
It is never too late to give, she said, and it is never too late to ask for help.
“There’s no shame in asking for help if you need it,” LaFontaine said. “By the time we close our doors Wednesday night, we will have distributed 1,400 turkeys with all the trimmings for a Thanksgiving feast.”
LaFontaine said this year, the organization was planning for a 10% increase in Thanksgiving baskets but, in fact, it will be closer to 15%. She said there are a number of reasons the demand for contributions has grown of late.
“It’s a combination of economic factors and a perfect storm of inflation,” she said.
“Times are hard for local families, and colder weather only exacerbates already stretched budgets as heating bills and increased electrical bills arrive,” she said.
This weekend, shoppers donated 13,252 pounds of good food to help feed their neighbors through the holidays and beyond at Market Basket at 101 Gloucester Crossing Road in Gloucester, and 231 Newburyport Turnpike in Rowley; Stop & Shop at 6 Thatcher Road in Gloucester; Shaw’s at 127 Eastern Ave. in Gloucester, and 146 High St. in Ipswich; and Crosby’s Marketplace at 3 Summer St. in Manchester-by-the-Sea.
The neighbors-helping-neighbors spirit we saw this weekend does more than put food on the table. It gives the gift of hope and lets our neighbors know we’re here to help one another.”
Second Glance, the thrift store of The Open Door, also collected clothing donations through a no-appointment-needed clothing drive in conjunction with Saturday’s food drive.
The Open Door also distributed hundreds of Holiday Meal Baskets on Saturday, providing local families with a turkey or vegan shepherd’s pie, and all the fixings to make a special meal at home this Thursday. The nonprofit will continue to distribute Holiday Meal Baskets until the end of the business day on Wednesday.
“Food is the last thing people should worry about during the holiday season,” Director of Operations Jen Perry said. “We want all of our community members to put a feast on the table and build joyful memories of time together.”
The Open Door as well as Beverly Bootstraps received a timely donation from Coastal Windows & Exteriors in Beverly. The company’s gift, which doubles last year’s, carries on its 9-year mission, “Freedom from Want.”
“In collaboration with The Open Door and Beverly Bootstraps, we are providing 53 turkeys and 25 Thanksgiving food bags to North Shore residents, ensuring no family goes without a warm, memorable holiday meal,” said Stephanie Vanderbilt, owner of Coastal Windows & Exteriors, one of the effort’s organizers.
The initiative is inspired by Norman Rockwell’s 1943 oil painting “Freedom from Want,” which Vanderbilt described as a rendering of “giving back and uplifting our neighbors during challenging times.”
“Partners like Coastal Windows make it possible for families to maintain cherished holiday traditions even when times are tough. I think it’s a testament to how a community comes together,” LaFontaine said
Contributing to Coastal Windows & Exteriors’ effort were Henry’s Market at 588 Cabot St. in Beverly, and Crosby’s Marketplace locations in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead and South Hamilton.
The 53 turkeys wents The Open Door, and the 25 Thanksgiving food bags were donated to Beverly Bootstraps. Each insulated bag, donated by Henry’s Market, included staple items that families can use for their Thanksgiving Day meal.
Vanderbilt said the collaboration between the participating organizations highlight the “enduring power of community generosity to create meaningful change and ensure no family goes without during the holidays.”
The Open Door also received 114 turkeys from Beauport Hospitality Group in Gloucester, 84 turkeys fron Lyon-Waugh Auto Group in Peabody, and 14 turkeys, in addition to employees’ ongoing holiday fundraising, from Applied Materials in Gloucester.
Beverly Bootstraps offers emergency and long-term assistance for such things as access to food, housing stability, adult and youth programs, education, counseling and advocacy to residents of Beverly, Essex, Hamilton, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Wenham. Donations may be made at https://beverlybootstraps.org/.
The Open Door aims to connect people to good food and advocates on behalf of those in need regarding food security matters. It serves people in Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Essex, Ipswich, Topsfield, Hamilton, Wenham, Boxford and Rowley. Mobile locations serve Danvers and Lynn.
LaFontaine, who has served as its president and CEO for 23 years, said perhaps the best way to help it to go to the organization’s website, https://foodpantry.org/.
“That’s a great way for people to contribute,” she said. “That way, organizations like The Open Door are heard. It takes a community’s support to make it happen.”
Stephen Hagan can be reached at 978-675-2708 or at shagan@gloucestertimes.com.