Opening Hearts and Homes

With the Marines for Thanksgiving project, local families are asked to welcome a Marine from Camp Lejeune to their Thanksgiving Day festivities.

By Eric Mens

In 2011 Port City Java CEO Steve Schnitzler began an annual tradition in which families from the Cape Fear region host Marines from Camp Lejeune for a classic Thanksgiving gathering and meal. For the participating Marines, the event offers a chance to experience this uniquely American holiday by meeting new people and enjoying a home-cooked dinner.

In collaboration with officials at Camp Lejeune, the program arranges bus transportation for the Marines to a central location in Wilmington, where host families greet them and take them home for the day. In the evening, families return the Marines to the central meeting point for transport back to Camp Lejeune.

Wilmington residents Neal and Jeanine Huggins assumed leadership of Port City Java’s Marines for Thanksgiving project in 2024. Neal is a financial advisor with Verity Asset Management in Wilmington. In his leadership role, he coordinates with Marine Corps officials at Camp Lejeune, who identify participating Marines. He also recruits host families and arranges private bus transport for the Marines. Each bus costs $2,000, for which Neal solicits sponsors and donors. This year marks the ninth consecutive Thanksgiving that the Huggins family has welcomed Marines into their home.

Since the program’s inception, dozens of local families have opened their hearts and homes to Marines unable to spend the holiday with their own loved ones. Each year, more families register with Neal to participate in this meaningful tradition.

A short video of last year’s event is available for viewing here.

Can You Help?

Marines for Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving 2025 there is an urgent need to provide sufficient funding to contract for two buses and to find an additional eight to 10 families host families to host the second busload of Marines.

Families interested in hosting a Marine for this coming (or future) Thanksgiving opportunities should contact Neal Huggins at marinethanksgiving@gmail.com.

Individuals and families who are unable to host may choose to donate and help offset the cost of bus transportation between Camp Lejeune and Wilmington.

Checks should be payable to Sunway Charters and mailed to: Neal Huggins, Marine Thanksgiving, 701 N 4th Street, Wilmington, NC 28401.