No Eggs Benefit Serves as Alternative to Autumn Breakfast
Pat, left, and Tom Cronin, of Gloucester, are The Open Door Unsung Heroes of 2021. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)
GLOUCESTER — As the pandemic wore on this year and local people continue to face hunger insecurity day after day, an army of volunteers and community organizations have played a key role in keeping their neighbors fed.
The Open Door 2021 Community Award Winners, announced at the nonprofit’s virtual No Eggs Benefit event, have made a profound difference in hunger relief amid the evolving pandemic and as programs of the nonprofit have continued to adapt to meet the hunger needs of the community today. Hundreds of dedicated volunteers and organizations help The Open Door deliver on its mission, and the following awards recognize only a few each year.
“This year, our award-winning community partners and local heroes demonstrate what can happen when people really care about their neighbors and have the compassion and grit to get things done,” The Open Door President and CEO Julie LaFontaine said. “As we strive to get a foothold on the pandemic, these individuals have been instrumental in consistently providing good, healthy food to our community. We are deeply thankful to each of them and are pleased to honor their contributions to our mission.”
The 2021 Community Award Winners are as follows:
Helen Muise Community Service Award Winners: Mari Bergeron,of Gloucester; Jessica Lanier, of Rockport; Rosemary Gibbons, of Gloucester; and Lisa Alcock, of Gloucester.
Mari Bergeron: Bergeron is the Senior Director of International Content Licensing at EBSCO Information Services, volunteered pre-pandemic and returned in full-force when COVID-19 hit. Packing groceries in The Open Door Fulfillment Center and delivering groceries, she has demonstrated herself to be a natural leader with a profound drive to help keep people fed.
Jessica Lanier: Retired from a career in the film industry and as an Art History Professor, Lanier started volunteering in February. A regular, hardworking volunteer in the Fulfillment Center, she consistently goes above and beyond, often taking on extra hours to get the job done and get groceries packaged for pickup and delivery on-time.
“I think to give your time is the most valuable thing because nobody has enough time,” Lanier said. “I leave here feeling like I did something meaningful. I just love it here. I’m going to volunteer forever.”
Rosemary Gibbons: Gibbons has volunteered with The Open Door for about six years, most recently in the Fulfillment Center. She says her parents instilled the value of giving back early on in her life, and she is known for her acute attention to detail and the care she brings to each shift.
Lisa Alcock: Alcock has been volunteering at Second Glance since 2015. A retired High School English teacher, this summer she found herself tapping into her skills as an educator to support a F1rstJobs grant recipient, a recent high school graduate with autism spectrum disorder who spent about 15 hours a week at Second Glance. Staff at Second Glance nominated her for the award in honor of the sincere thought and consideration she put into her mentorship role.
Charlotte Pope Service Award: Kent Knight. Knight, of Gloucester, became a volunteer shortly after his wife, Lisa Soli, passed away from ALS at the age of 58 in May 2020. He knew there was a need for food assistance as a result of the pandemic, and started delivering groceries. He is known as a dedicated volunteer, who is always happy to lend an extra hand and step up when help is needed.
Unsung Heroes: Pat and Tom Cronin. Pat Cronin, of Gloucester, volunteered pre-pandemic, and she and her husband, Tom Cronin, of Gloucester, signed up to deliver groceries as a driver and delivery person duo when COVID-19 hit. She continues to volunteer regularly. In September 2020, Tom Cronin got even more involved and over the course of ten months put in countless hours to help The Open Door research and implement SmartChoice ™ at The Open Door, which launched this June. The new online ordering system connects clients today to more food choices than ever before to expand both access and equity. The Cronins have made a significant difference in connecting local people to good, healthy food, not only in 2021 but for years to come.
Sustainability Partner of the Year: Rockport Mortgage Corporation. Rockport Mortgage Corporation was nominated for this award because of their expanding role in supporting local hunger relief efforts. A long-time supporter of The Open Door, Rockport Mortgage Corporation kicked it up a notch during the pandemic to sponsor fresh fish from local business Fisherman’s Wharf Gloucester. Now, every other week, our Friday Fish Community Meals is a standout favorite among clients.
Outstanding Community Partner: Institution for Savings. Institution for Savings was nominated for this award for their steadfast desire to alleviate hunger in the communities they serve and the extraordinary steps they have taken to make a meaningful impact, keeping people fed with good, healthy food. Institution for Savings has had a long and hands-on role in supporting the mission of The Open Door. Along with ongoing financial support from programs to capital campaigns, pre-pandemic, Institution for Savings staff regularly participated in corporate engagement at The Open Door, from preparing Community Meals to participating in annual bowl paintings for the Empty Bowl Dinner, and holding food drive collections at their local offices.
For more information about The Open Door 2021 Award Winners and their impact on local hunger relief, visit FOODPANTRY.org/noeggs.
About the Virtual No Eggs Benefit Event
Pre-pandemic, annual volunteer award winners were honored at The Open Door Autumn Breakfast. The Open Door is not holding the in-person event this year due to the ongoing, evolving pandemic. However, The Open Door is honoring its awardees and their stories through its virtual alternative: the No Eggs Benefit! Along with the volunteer stories, local sponsors have contributed $25,000 to match every donation dollar-for-dollar. To donate to help local families stay hunger-free this holiday season and beyond, or learn more about the No Eggs Benefit, visit FOODPANTRY.org/noeggs.
Donations are being matched by sponsors of The Open Door including the Institution for Savings, John Rando, Tom and Kristin Zarrella, Joset Corporation, Cape Ann Lobstermen, Pratty’s C.A.V., Building Center, Cape Ann Savings Bank, The Pratt Team, Bob and Carolyn Stewart, and CSL.
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 2020, The Open Door helped stabilize the lives and health of 9,681 unduplicated people from 4,703 households through the distribution of 2.46 million pounds of food, amounting to 2.05 million meals. Requests for food assistance during this pandemic year were up 27 percent.
Mari Bergeron, of Gloucester, is a 2021 Helen Muise Community Service Award recipient. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)Jessica Lanier, of Rockport, is a 2021 Helen Muise Community Service Award recipient. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)Rosemary Gibbons, of Gloucester, is a 2021 Helen Muise Community Service Award recipient. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)Lisa Alcock, of Gloucester, is a 2021 Helen Muise Community Service Award recipient. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)Kent Knight, of Gloucester, is the 2021 Charlotte Pope Service Award recipient. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)The team at Rockport Mortgage Corporation. Rockport Mortgage Corporation is The Open Door 2021 Sustainability Partner of the Year.Institution for Savings President and Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Jones. Institution for Savings is The Open Door 2021 Outstanding Community Partner. (Photo Courtesy of The Open Door)
Join us on Thursday, November 4th at 7:30p via Zoom to hear from Mote Marine Laboratory researchers Dr. Erinn Muller and Dr. Hanna Koch as they discuss their important research restoring and understanding Florida’s coral reefs.
With year-end charitable giving right around the corner, join us for a 1-hour interactive webinar with financial and legal experts to learn how your charitable donations can go further and work harder to benefit your favorite causes AND your own bottom line.
Hosted by Cape Ann Development Warriors in partnership with Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce and Essex County Community Foundation
Cape Ann Development Warriors is a group of fundraising professionals from nonprofits on Cape Ann and beyond. We meet monthly to share ideas, support each other, and promote collaboration among local charities for the greater good. We are a subcommittee of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce.
The Sawyer Free Library will be hosting the first two-part series: “Urban Renewal in Gloucester,”presented by Beth Welin, local historian and director of Manchester Historical Museum, on Saturday, October 23 at 2 pm.
See images of old Gloucester and learn about the city’s history and redevelopment. Attendees are encouraged to share personal memories throughout the presentation.
Part two of the series will be Saturday, November 6 at 2pm. Registration is not required but mask are for all that attend.
Join an important discussion with the Sawyer Free Library Global Forum Book Group when they welcome Peter Kiang the Director of Asian American Studies at UMASS Boston to discuss the bookFacing the Mountain by author Daniel James Brown on Thursday, October 21 at 6:30pm at the Library.
In Facing the Mountain, author Daniel James Brown tells the unforgettable story of the Japanese-American men who volunteered for the US Army’s 442nd Regimental Combat Team and displayed incredible courage on the brutal battlefields of Europe. Yet at the same time, their parents were put in camps and stripped of their livelihoods, and an equally brave battle was being fought in the courtroom back home. This book reveals the all too common failure of democratic ideals in a time of crisis.
Peter Kiang, director of UMASS Boston’s Asian American Studies Program will join the group to discuss this phenomena as well as the history of Asian-American prejudice on the Eastern seaboard.
Second Glance’s Jackie Colussi Shares Tips and Tricks for Creating a Costume from Scratch
With pumpkins on doorsteps, falling leaves and a crisp breeze in the air, the time has come to start planning your annual Halloween costume.
For Jackie Colussi, shift leader at Second Glance, the thrift store of The Open Door, thrifting for Halloween costumes is a beloved tradition she maintained with her daughters as they grew up and enjoys to this day. She previously owned a business selling vintage items, and has a love of fashion that fuels, in part, her love of crafting an entirely unique costume.
“We always enjoyed thrift shopping anyway. When it was Halloween time, we took it as a personal challenge,” Colussi said. “We always wanted to come up with something unique and different, and something we created ourselves. It took time and imagination, and we had fun doing it.”
She says one of her favorite thrifted costumes was a dead prom queen look her daughter once wore, which included an all-gray formal outfit and a poufy veil.
“You’re only limited, in my opinion, by your imagination,” Colussi said. “You might have to purchase some makeup or fake blood, but it definitely makes for an interesting costume. I think there’s a lot to be said for buying and reusing as well, and its more cost efficient.”
“There’s not a lot a pair of scissors and a hot glue gun can’t do,” she added.
Colussi also says for many, thrifting for a costume at Second Glance is a more meaningful experience, because patrons know all revenue supports the programs at The Open Door and helps feed local people.
For those looking to thrift their costume this year, Colussi has shared tips and tricks for getting started:
Brainstorm costume ideas before you shop. Go to the thrift store with a few costume ideas in mind and know what you might need to build that costume. Colussi says this is particularly helpful for parents and guardians shopping for a young child’s costume.
Keep an open mind. She says you never know what you mind find, or what item(s) might stick out to you as you browse.
Give yourself time and don’t limit yourself to the clothing section. Don’t rush the creative process—part of the fun is browsing the various clothing departments, accessories, jewelry, shoes, fabric, art supplies, household wares, and so on that could be turned into clothing and props for your costume.
Think outside the box. Don’t be afraid to turn your costume into an art project or re-imagine something. For example: a curtain or lace tablecloth can be cut and sewn to suit a wide variety of costumes, fake flowers can be fashioned into a flower crown, and a large frame without a painting or photo in it can be perfect for someone who would like to dress up as a painting themselves.
Don’t forget the classics. She says classic Halloween costumes, like a witch or warlock, are often easy to shop for at a thrift store as black tops and dresses are almost always in stock, and accessories can be found to suit the look too.
Once you have your costume ready, don’t forget to enter Second Glance’s Halloween contest! Details below.
Second Glance Halloween Costume Contest Details:
Second Glance is holding its FIRST EVER Halloween Costume Contest this year. To enter, participants must create a costume using at least one item from Second Glance, post a photo on Instagram and tag the thrift store at @secondglancethriftstore. The deadline for entry is midnight on Oct. 31, and the winner will be announced Nov. 1 on Instagram after being selected by a small panel of staff and volunteers. The winner will receive a $50 Second Glance Gift Card.
USA Today and Amazon #1 Bestseller M. L. “Matt” Buchman has 70+ novels in action-adventure thrillers, contemporary and military romance, 100 short stories, and many audiobooks. Before becoming a best-selling writer, M.L. “Matt” Buchman dreamed of traveling the world by sailboat or small plane. Not once did he think about doing it by bicycle — not until he lost everything: career, the house he’d been remodeling, for the family he never had time to find, sense of self, all of it. Broke and burned out at thirty-five, he sold everything, climbed on his bicycle Junior, and together they headed out on a journey of unknown duration. His one guide? Following the setting sun west. 11,000 miles through eighteen countries. A voyage of adventure, discovery, and rebuilding a life. But mostly? A journey of discovering hope and the unexpected possibilities of the future.
Presented by the Library’s Gloucester Lyceum, this event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Copies of the book “Midlife Crisis on Wheels with Matt Buchman” will be available. Face masks are mandatory for those attending. The Sawyer Free Library is located at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester. For more details, visit sawyerfreelibrary.org
Cape Ann Community 