Donations Pour In For Feed Our Neighbors Food Drive

November 13th, 2025

By Debra Fitzgerald, Door County Pulse

Main Street Market is a Feed Our Neighbors Food Drive drop-off site. The drive lasts until Dec. 31. Photo by D.A. Fitzgerald.

Donations to a local community food drive are showing no signs of slowing.

Project Feed Our Neighbors was born from the government shutdown and the suspension of federal food benefits, but has highlighted a need at local food pantries and the community’s willingness to help their neighbors through the end of the year.

“One week of collection and our total is just over 2,500,” said Sue Schwartz, the food drive’s Door County organizer.

The project began Oct. 31 as a two-week effort to collect food donations in Door, Kewaunee and Manitowoc counties. Donations collected in each county stay local. In Door County, there are now 21 drop-off sites, three scheduled food drives and support from Destination Door County (DDC) under it’s Care for Door County initiative.

“It’s overwhelming in a good way,” said Schwartz, who started the project as a personal effort and has since integrated it into her professional role with DDC. “Now I’m able to pick up and drop off during the work day. It’s really helped with the efficiency.”

Boxes like this at Walmart in Sturgeon Bay are placed at 21 different locations around Door County. Photo by Eleanor Corbin.

There are 10 food pantries in Door County, and Schwartz said they’re delivering to all of them except one that has received overwhelming direct support.

Even as the government shutdown nears its end this week, the need remains, said Jon Jarosh, DDC chief communications officer.

“It was a natural way for us to interact,” he said, with DDC providing organizational support, volunteer coordination and outreach.

One of the latest developments is a local restaurant’s commitment to prepare 20 full Thanksgiving Day dinners for families in need. All the organizers had to do was supply the 20 turkeys.

“The restaurant is processing those now,” Jarosh said.

Community members who know of a family that could use a Thanksgiving meal are encouraged to contact Schwartz at 920.493.4856. The restaurant wishes to remain anonymous, as do several other donors who have contributed money, or volunteered their skills, services and time.

“They’re doing it because they want to help their neighbors, not because they want recognition of what they’re doing,” Jarosh said. “People have really come together.”

That sense of connection, of community engagement, Jarosh added, is what makes Door County special.

“The community does show up for one another,” he said. “That’s why so many love living here.”

For more information or questions about the food drive, contact Sue Schwartz at 920.493.4856.

Collection Sites & Scheduled Food Drives

From Brussels to Sister Bay, food collection sites will be active across the peninsula through Dec. 31 at the following sites (more may have been added since this publication): Participation, Bluefront Cafe, Door County Medical Center, Destination Door County, Fatzo’s, Happy Coffee, Healthy Way, Lawlss Coffee, Main Street Market, Marchant’s Foods Brussels, Nicolet Bank, Peach Barn Brewery, Saguaro Day Spa, Sturgeon Bay Libertary, Tadych’s Marketplace, The Peark of Door County, Third Avenue PlayWorks, Varlets, Walmart and Write On, Door County.

There will also be three major food drives:

Nov. 15, 9 am to 5 pm at Tadych’s Marketplace parking lot, 1250 N. 14th Ave., Sturgeon Bay.
Nov. 22, 10 am to 12 noon, Door County Granary, 72 E. Locust Court, Sturgeon Bay.
Dec. 13, 9 am to 5 pm, Walmart parking lot, 1536 Egg Harbor Road, Sturgeon Bay.

Organizers are seeking nonperishable items, including canned and boxed goods, powdered milk, cereal, grains, and snacks, protein items such as peanut butter, canned meats, tuna, and beans, nonperishable meal kits (for example, pasta and sauce, canned meat and taco shells), and baby food and formula.