Neighbors Help Neighbors at The Open Door Thanksgiving Food Drive 

Annual Tradition Brings in 13,252 Pounds of Food Donations 

GLOUCESTER – With more and more people coming to The Open Door for help getting food, locals turned out to help their neighbors at Saturday’s Thanksgiving Food Drive, a longstanding community holiday tradition. 

“Times are hard for local families, and colder weather only exacerbates already stretched budgets as heating bills and increased electrical bills arrive,” President and CEO Julie LaFontaine said. “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.” 

Shoppers in Gloucester, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Rowley donated 13,252 pounds of good food to help feed their neighbors through the holidays and beyond. 

Participating locations for the food drive included: 

• Market Basket at 101 Gloucester Crossing Road, Gloucester MA 

• Stop & Shop at 6 Thatcher Road, Gloucester MA 

• Shaw’s at 127 Eastern Avenue, Gloucester MA 

• Shaw’s at 146 High Street, Ipswich MA 

• Crosby’s Marketplace at 3 Summer Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea MA 

• Market Basket at 231 Newburyport Turnpike, Rowley MA 

Second Glance, thrift store of The Open Door, also collected clothing donations through a no-appointment-needed clothing drive in conjunction with the food drive on Saturday. Sales at Second Glance support hunger-relief programs of The Open Door. 

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,” said Director of Operations Jen Perry. “We want all of our community members to put a feast on the table and build joyful memories of time together.” 

The Open Door has seen a double-digit increase in requests for food assistance in 2024.  

Holiday Meal Baskets are still available to order for Thanksgiving (and the December Holidays) at no cost at FOODPANTRY.org. 

Want to donate to help feed local people through the holidays and beyond? Visit FOODPANTRY.org. 

About The Open Door  

The mission of The Open Door is to alleviate the impact of hunger in our community. We use practical strategies to connect people to good food, to advocate on behalf of those in need, and to engage others in the work of building food security. 

Founded in 1978, The Open Door is a 501 (c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit and community food resource center for low-income residents of Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester, Essex, Ipswich, Hamilton, Boxford, Rowley, Topsfield, and Wenham. In 2023, The Open Door helped stabilize the lives and health of 9,836 people from 4,952 households through the distribution of 1.98 million pounds of food. 

For more information, visit FOODPANTRY.org. 

###