Coastal Windows & Exteriors is celebrating its 10th consecutive year of turkey donations to North Shore families in need, reaching this milestone as The Open Door reports a 26% surge in food assistance requests since 2024. The exterior remodeling company is donating 50 turkeys weighing 839 pounds to The Open Door in Gloucester, where each bird carries a special tag honoring Coastal's recent customers who made these donations possible. These turkey donations directly address the double-digit increase in food assistance requests that both The Open Door and Beverly Bootstraps have experienced this year.
Since launching this initiative in 2015, Coastal Windows & Exteriors has invested more than $10,000 in direct food support with over 500 turkeys and food pairings distributed through Beverly Bootstraps and The Open Door. Julie LaFontaine, President and CEO of The Open Door, emphasized that Coastal Windows has embraced the spirit of giving by helping create freedom from want during the holidays with turkey donations for the past decade, calling it a powerful example of community strength and the impact of business partnerships working together for good.
The company's commitment extends beyond turkeys, with Coastal Windows & Exteriors contributing 25 fixin' bags to Beverly Bootstraps' ambitious goal of assembling 750 complete holiday meal packages. This comprehensive approach provides families with everything needed to create treasured Thanksgiving memories. Stephanie Vanderbilt, owner of Coastal Windows & Exteriors and 2024 Massachusetts Small Business Person of the Year, explains the broader significance connecting their business mission with community needs.
Vanderbilt articulates that Freedom from Want in today's world encompasses both shelter and sustenance—a secure roof overhead, a warm draft-free home and food on every table. As the leading woman-owned exterior remodeling contractor in New England, the company protects homes from cold and unpredictable weather while through community partnerships ensuring those homes have filled pantries and warm holiday meals. The timing of these donations is particularly crucial as the Farmers' Almanac predicts a harsh winter pattern ahead with energy costs projected to rise 13% or more.
Coastal's work as an exterior remodeling company helps homeowners reduce energy bills through high-performance windows, insulated siding, and energy-efficient roofing systems—savings that can help families allocate more resources toward other essential needs. The company's decade-long commitment to Freedom from Want extends beyond Thanksgiving, with year-round support for veterans through the Roofs for Heroes program, community recognition event sponsorships, and maintained partnerships with organizations addressing fundamental needs across the North Shore.
