Lasagna Love Delivers More Than 6,000 Meals in One Week To Families Across America
Lasagna Love last week exceeded a set forth goal to break its existing record for lasagna meals delivered. The majority volunteer-operated non-profit that connects neighbors through homemade meal delivery surpassed its 5,000 pan National Lasagna Day goal by delivering 6,057 lasagnas in one week. The achievement brings Lasagna Love’s total deliveries to 105,505 pans since its inception in March 2020, positively impacting more than 428,000 lives.
Initiated at the start of the pandemic by a mom seeking a way to help others in her community, Lasagna Love sparked a viral movement that gained exponential traction across the nation and is today powered by more than 20,000 volunteers across all 50 states in America and Puerto Rico. During its National Lasagna Day celebration, both Rao’s Homemade and Pastene provided in-kind donations and support to help Lasagna Love’s army of “lasagna chefs” feed more families with 860 jars of sauce, 700 cans of tomatoes, and 700 boxes of lasagna noodles.
Menn’s original act of kindness—delivery of a warm pan of lasagna—has been replicated, celebrated, and leveraged to cross all language and cultural barriers. The concept of preparing and delivering a meal to a community member ignited an organic movement of such magnitude that during Lasagna Love’s National Lasagna Day events, the organization grew by another 500 new chef volunteers.
“Even as we emerge from the pandemic, acts of kindness will forever be a welcome sight,” said Menn. “We envision an ongoing need not only to feed families but spread kindness during a time when uncertainty about many things remains high. One small act of comfort can change a mindset.”
Rao’s Homemade®, a leading producer of premium pasta sauces, and Pastene, a leading importer of authentic Italian foods and ingredients, signed on as National Lasagna Day partners, donating ingredients to create homemade lasagnas. Their generosity ensured that thousands of Lasagna Love volunteers were able to deliver meals to individual families as well as to community support organizations including Easter Seals, veteran’s
- California: In San Diego, “lasagna chefs” pooled resources to feed the homeless at Father Joe’s Village (400 single servings). Menlo Park chefs made and delivered multiple lasagnas to the Willow Veterans Housing Community, while southern California chefs collaborated with both Gold Coast Veterans and Buddy Nation to provide 55 individual lasagna meals to homeless veterans.
“I have always been involved with organizations that make a difference in people’s lives,” said Lasagna Love volunteer Freddi Pakier of San Diego. “As a child of Holocaust survivors, food and cooking were an important part of my upbringing. Plus, I love to cook. Knowing I can bring love, caring and kindness to someone with a lasagna is heartwarming to me.
- Virginia: In Fairfax County, lasagna chefs delivered to the Fairfax County Fire stations plus a local homeless shelter.
- Indiana: Fort Wayne-based lasagna chefs made and delivered meals to Mentoring Moms, an organization serving women and children in crisis, while chefs in Northwest Indiana delivered more than 70 lasagnas to residents in the city of Hammond.
Lasagna Love which recently expanded beyond America’s borders to Puerto Rico and Canada, welcomes new volunteer chefs who participate as much or as little as desired — whether one-time, weekly, or monthly—to prepare and deliver meals. Delivering kindness in the form of a lasagna or other entrée not only dents food insecurity but provides support and kindness to those contending with challenge, whether defined by job loss, pandemic fatigue, or general overwhelm.
Currently, more volunteers are needed in Nevada (Las Vegas) and Texas (Houston).
“National Lasagna Day was the perfect milestone holiday for us to attach such an audacious goal,” said Rhiannon Menn, founder and Chief Lasagna Mama, Lasagna Love. “With mounting eviction concerns, unemployment statistics and ongoing COVID fears, our volunteers are experiencing a greater call to serve. Our hope is not only to continue to support communities in which our volunteers reside but extend our reach where greater need exists. Brand donations have played an instrumental role in our development and we are grateful to Rao’s Homemade and Pastene for believing in our mission and collaborating with us to feed more families.”
To request a meal, become a volunteer Lasagna Chef, or to support Lasagna Love through the purchase of Lasagna Love store merchandise, visit www.lasagnalove.org.
About Lasagna Love
Lasagna Love is a community impact program that connects neighbors through gestures of kindness, goodwill, and support. The non-profit abides by three simple principles: feed families, spread kindness and strengthen communities. Founded by a mom hoping to weave kindness back into the fabric of our daily lives, Lasagna Love has joined together volunteers across all 50 states in America and beyond America’s borders and aims to normalize requests for help, when needed. To learn more about Lasagna Love and how you can get involved, visit www.lasagnalove.org or our social channels, @WeAreLasagnaLove (Instagram and Facebook).