How 50 Pizzas Became 900 After the Menasha Tornado

When the tornado tore through Menasha, it did not take long to see how much help would be needed.

Homes were damaged. Families were without power, gas, and basic necessities. Volunteers and work crews were spending long days clearing debris, checking on neighbors, and trying to help people take the next step forward.

In a situation like that, there are plenty of large problems that cannot be solved overnight. But sometimes there is one immediate need you can help meet.

People still need to eat.

That is how a commitment from Duncan’s Window & Door to purchase 50 pizzas turned into a community effort that ultimately provided around 900 pizzas for families, homeowners, volunteers, and workers affected by the storm.

Starting With Something Simple

The original idea was straightforward. Duncan’s would purchase the first 50 pizzas from Luigi’s Pizza & Pasta in Menasha and offer them free to people affected by the tornado.

There was no complicated plan behind it. We knew families were dealing with damaged homes, utility outages, insurance calls, cleanup, and uncertainty. Volunteers were working long hours. A hot meal would not repair a roof or restore electricity, but it could take one concern off someone’s plate for the day.

We shared the idea with the community and asked whether other people or local businesses might want to help us keep it going.

Neighbors across the Fox Valley responded almost immediately.

The original 50 pizzas quickly became 125. By the end of the first day, 60 pizzas had already been handed out, and donations had grown enough to provide another 150. More people shared the posts, more businesses stepped forward, and more neighbors asked how they could help.

What began as one business purchasing lunch became something far larger than any one person or company.

The Community Took It From There

Over the next several days, donations continued coming in through Venmo and in cash. Nearly $5,000 had already been raised during the early part of the effort, along with bottled water, toiletries, feminine hygiene products, household supplies, and other necessities.

The team from Luigi’s did much more than make pizzas.

They walked through some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods, delivered supplies directly to families, handed out donuts in the morning, returned later with pizzas for homeowners and work crews, and helped feed volunteers at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh donation site.

Other local businesses joined the effort as well. Tirado’s Taqueria Shawano came to serve tacos. People donated supplies. Volunteers gave their time. Residents shared posts so the information could reach families who needed it.

Duncan’s may have committed to the first 50 pizzas, but the community is what turned that first step into 900.

That is the part of the story that matters most.

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This Is What It Means to Be Local

It is easy for a business to call itself local. Being local should mean more than having an address nearby or putting the name of a city on a website.

It means being present when your neighbors need help.

It means knowing the people, businesses, churches, schools, and organizations that make up the community. It means being willing to make a phone call, purchase a meal, carry supplies, share reliable information, or point someone toward a resource.

At Duncan’s Window & Door, we have always wanted to build a business that serves customers well, does right by neighbors, and stays involved in the community. That does not mean one company has to solve every problem. We could not repair every home or meet every need after the tornado. But we could start somewhere.

For us, that started with 50 pizzas.

Be Careful Who You Trust After a Storm

Unfortunately, disasters do not only bring out helpers. They also attract people looking for a quick sale.

After a major storm, contractors and sales crews often arrive from across the country. Some may be legitimate companies, but others are storm chasers who move from one damaged community to the next. They may pressure homeowners to sign quickly, promise to handle everything through insurance, or make claims that sound too good to be true.

Once the work is finished, or the payment is collected, they may be hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Homeowners should never feel pressured to make an immediate decision about repairs. Take the time to ask questions. Verify that the company is properly insured. Find out who will actually perform the work, what warranties are included, and who will be available if a problem appears later.

A local contractor should be able to provide a real address, local references, clear written terms, and a plan for supporting the customer after the job is complete.

Storm damage creates urgency, but urgency should not eliminate caution.

Duncan’s has been part of this area for years, and we plan to remain here. Our team lives here, works here, and sees our customers in the community. That creates accountability that cannot be packed into a truck and driven to the next storm.

More Than Pizza

A pizza may seem small compared with the scale of tornado damage.

But to a family sorting through debris, a volunteer who has been working all day, or a homeowner trying to make dozens of difficult decisions, a hot meal can mean a great deal.

It says, “You are not doing this alone.”

The 900 pizzas were not the work of one business. They represented hundreds of acts of generosity from people who donated money, prepared food, delivered supplies, volunteered, shared information, and checked on their neighbors.

That is what community looks like.

The storm damaged homes and changed lives, but it also revealed the strength of Menasha and the Fox Valley. When one person took a step forward, someone else joined them. Then another person joined. 50 pizzas became 125, then hundreds, and eventually 900.

We are grateful to Luigi’s Pizza & Pasta, Tirado’s Taqueria Shawano, every business and individual who donated, and every volunteer who showed up.

Duncan’s Window & Door was proud to help get the effort started. The community is what carried it forward.

And that is how neighbors help neighbors — one meal, one family, and one act of kindness at a time.