The Open Door  
Julie LaFontaine, President and CEO  
28 Emerson Ave.,  
Gloucester, MA 01930  

 

Media Contact: Kelsey Richards 
Email: kelsey.richards@foodpantry.org 
Phone: 978-283-6776 x 226
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Thursday October 24, 2024 

The Open Door Autumn Breakfast Fosters Hope in Hard Times

Back, from left: Kate Glidden of Beauport Financial Services, Paula Sullivan Reggio of Beauport Financial Services, Derek Reed of Beauport Financial Services, Helen Muise Award Recipient Don Marcoux, Mike Paluch of Beauport Financial Services, Serena Low of Beauport Financial Services, Rosa Provost of
Beauport Financial Services, and Kaitlin Whittemore of Beauport Financial Services. Front, from left: Helen Muise Award Recipient Nancy Scanzani, Tom Chmura (husband to Helen Muise Award Recipient Claudette Chmura, he accepted her award on her behalf), President and CEO Julie LaFontaine, Charlotte Pope Service Award Recipient Sue King, and Unsung Hero Award Recipient Bob Gillis. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)

GLOUCESTER – A hearty meal, a stocked refrigerator, and the comfort of knowing with certainty where your next meal is coming from does more than fill stomachs: when you help, hope will follow.


This was the message The Open Door emphasized at today’s Autumn Breakfast, an annual event that kicks off its Holiday Meal Basket program and honors volunteers and community partners.


“Food is a foundation for good nutrition and security, pillars that can dramaticallychange your life. As we approach the holidays, it’s a wonderful time to help set the table for local people who need a little extra help,” said President and CEO Julie Lafontaine. “Your support goes beyond a single meal or grocery order, it provides hope.”


“My journey with The Open Door began many years ago. Each of my three boys has had their own profound service experiences at The Open Door, and these moments have given our family a sense of belonging to our greater community and hope, reminding us that even in challenging times, we can make a meaningful difference,” said Tracy Davis, Chair of The Open Door Board of Directors. “Whatever brought you to The Open Door—whether you give your time, talents, or financial support—one thing is clear: “When you help, hope will follow.”

The Open Door Holiday Meal Basket program gives local people all the ingredients needed to prepare a special holiday meal at home, from scratch, at no cost. Holiday Meal Baskets are available for both Thanksgiving and the December holidays, and can be ordered now at FOODPANTRY.org. Each year, Autumn Breakfast also recognizes outstanding volunteers and community partners of The Open Door. This year’s honorees include:

Helen Muise Community Service Award
This award is named after Helen Muise who was a faithful volunteer at The Open Door until she lost her battle with cancer in 2002. She ruled the kitchen with a big wooden spoon and ninety-eight pounds of determination. The recipient(s) of this award must have volunteered more than 40 hours in the last 12 months, and must possess the qualities of service that The Open Door remembers so fondly of Helen.


o Claudette Chmura, of Gloucester
o Don Marcoux, of Gloucester
o Nancy Scanzani, of Ipswich

Charlotte Pope Service Award
When Charlotte Pope retired from teaching in the late 1970s she volunteered at the food pantry, the schools, and at The Open Door Meals. She believed helping others was just the right thing to do, and it was a way of giving back to the neighborhood that helped take care of her and her siblings when she was growing up after her mother died. She knew more than anyone what it means when someone says, “It takes a village.”


The award is given each year to a volunteer or volunteers who live out this principle in their deeds and actions.

  • Sue King, of Rockport

Unsung Hero Award
Each year, the Unsung Hero award recognizes a volunteer or volunteers who have gone the extra mile, often taking on responsibilities beyond those typically assigned to a volunteer, in order to make a profound impact. This award recognizes those who are often behind the scenes, putting countless hours into their service to help connect more people to good, healthy food.


o Bob Gillis, of Gloucester

Outstanding Community Partner Award
The Outstanding Community Partner Award is given each year to an organization that has taken extraordinary steps to make a meaningful impact for their community. Those that receive this award have demonstrated that helping one’s neighbors is more than a gesture of kindness and generosity, but also deeply integrated into the philosophy and values of their organization.


o Beauport Financial Services


The Open Door Autumn Breakfast also features a guest speaker. This year, The Open Door Grants Manager and previous editor of The Gloucester Daily Times David Olson shared his experience with food insecurity in his youth. His parents lost their jobs in the 1970s, and eventually his mother earned a degree (while working two jobs on top of raising children) and became an accountant and office manager. His father found temporary work and later ran a successful butcher shop. Olson said his parents made a point to donate food and help others once they were on their feet again.


“Not everyone has the advantages we had. Not everyone has access to a safety net. But they should,” Olson said. “We are seeing record levels of food insecurity across the country, across the state and in our corner of Essex County. The Open Door is serving more people now than it did at the height of COVID.”

The Open Door also welcomed a handful of clients and community partners among attendees at Thursday’s event to share how programs of the nonprofit have impacted them.


To learn more or 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. 

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From left: Helen Muise Award Recipient Nancy Scanzani, Tom Chmura (who accepted the Helen Muise
Award on behalf of his wife Claudette Chmura), President and CEO Julie LaFontaine, Helen Muise Award
Recipient Don Marcoux, Charlotte Pope Award Recipient Sue King, and Unsung Hero Award Recipient
Bob Gillis. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)
The Open Door Grants Manager David Olson was the guest speaker at Thursday’s breakfast.
(Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)
Sen. Bruce Tarr, on left, joins President and CEO Julie LaFontaine to discuss the need for local-hunger
relief at Thursday’s Autumn Breakfast. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)
A full ballroom of people (approximately 300 ticket holders) attended Thursday’s Autumn Breakfast at the
Beauport Hotel. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)

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