Photo: Lasagna Love
Food symbolizes comfort, connection and care; Humans have been using it to nurture social relationships since at least the Bronze Age. So, when Rhiannon Menn found herself yearning to make an impact as the COVID-19 pandemic caused layoffs, school closures, and illnesses, she started cooking. "I just thought, well, what do I love to do? And what do I know how to do? And for me, that's cooking; it's my happy place." In March of 2020, Menn began making extra pans of lasagna, then got on Facebook, found a few "mom groups" and offered to drop them off to anyone in need. The first week she delivered seven meals and quickly began getting messages from other people inspired to help. Just over two years later, Lasagna Love has become a registered nonprofit with over 35,000 volunteers in all 50 states, as well as Canada and Australia. Altogether, they have delivered more than 250,000 lasagnas, feeding over one million people in total. Menn believes it's all a testament to how may people are looking for an outlet to show kindness and help others. "We do feed families, and that's important, but really what we're doing is spreading kindness and strengthening communities, and it's through those one-on-one bonds that it moves the needle on connectedness," Menn said.
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