At Thanksgiving, you can find Jason Estes and his team at Sonny’s Italian Kitchen doing what they love: cooking and serving the community. Thursday marks the third year Estes will cook free Thanksgiving dinners for families in need in the community. The tradition started in 2020 to support those impacted by COVID-19. Estes and his team will take care of the full Thanksgiving freight for 30 worthy families in Door County nominated by community members this year. Estes feels blessed to live and work in Sturgeon Bay. He is happy for the opportunity to give back and help foster those same feelings in his children.

Offering free food is nothing new for the crew at Sonny’s Italian Kitchen. They also provided lunches for kids during the first few months of the pandemic. Estes is not the only one offering turkey and mashed potatoes for those in need or with nowhere to go this Thanksgiving. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Algoma, Sturgeon Bay United Methodist Church, and Bayview Lutheran Church in Sturgeon Bay are just some other places offering Thanksgiving meals.