Dear Friends:

Welcome to the new John's Spotlight section of my website. I will be using this portion of the site to recognize the accomplishments of some of the exceptional residents and organizations in the Sixth Congressional District of Massachusetts. Please use the form located here on my website to recommend your friends, neighbors and local organizations that are doing great things and deserve to be acknowledged!

Today, I am spotlighting The Open Door in Gloucester and their Executive Director, Julie LaFontaine. Especially during difficult economic times, organizations such as The Open Door provide an invaluable service by helping local seniors and families put food on the table. Under Julie's leadership The Open Door has continued to flourish, currently operating a client-choice food pantry, Community Meals, six Mobile Market sites, the Garden Project, cooking and nutrition classes, SNAP application assistance, and multiple Summer Lunch sites to serve children ages 1-18.

Recently, I joined Julie at Agawam Village in Ipswich for the kick-off of the Open Door's 2011 Mobile Market season. The Open Door's Mobile Market program provides free fresh produce to qualified families on a weekly basis as well as recipes and cooking demonstrations. In addition to senior-based market sites, the Open Door also hosts neighborhood and school-based free farmer's markets. Over 130,000 pounds of fresh produce and groceries were provided to nearly 800 households in 2010 alone.

Julie and the staff and volunteers at the Open Door are truly helping to make a difference in our area. Moving forward, I hope that you will share with me similar experiences that you have had with local organizations and stories about your friends and neighbors who are taking steps to improve our local communities.

Sincerely,

John F. Tierney

Member of Congress