“I’ve delivered lasagnas to people living in tents and to families living in homes much nicer than mine. Needs are not always outwardly visible and we don’t always know what challenges people are facing.”
The goal of Build Then Bless is hand-to-hand, eye-to-eye interactions, so when my coworkers Katie and Lizzie talked about Lasagna Love, it sounded like the perfect opportunity to help people right here in my community. Plus I love lasagna so if I was going to have an excuse to have ingredients for the best pasta ever in my house once a month, I was going to take it.
I’ve delivered two so far and receiving the “Thank you so much ❤️” text after has made me so happy to be part of a community that lifts each other up.
If you’re looking for a simple, organized way to help your neighbors—people just like you who need a helping hand—Lasagna Love is the way to do it. Here are experiences from Katie and Lizzie, as well as Utah Volunteer Regional Leader Deea Hobbs.
(You’ll want to read Deea’s most impactful requests at the bottom of this blog—get tissues ready and open up a new tab so you can sign up to be Lasagna Love’s newest member.)
Katie’s Experience in Kansas
I stumbled across Lasagna Love on social media a while back and the concept really stuck with me. I finally decided to sign up a few months back. Much like Build Then Bless, Lasagna Love focuses on direct micro-interactions with those who need help most.
It can be hard to ask for help, but Lasagna Love allows those in need to request a lasagna in the most non-judgmental and dignified way—they can be as vague or as detailed about their situation as possible. As a “cook” for Lasagna Love, I’m paired with someone in my community, and the process is as easy as texting the recipient to coordinate a drop-off and checking in on any dietary restrictions.
Whether someone is struggling to feed their family or if a health situation hinders them from cooking for themselves, it’s an honor to put my BTB funds to work to help fill that need.
My first match was a young teacher and her husband who was laid off. They were struggling to feed themselves with the rising price of groceries and just needed a meal to help them get by.
I was able to drop off a lasagna and tacos on their doorstep, and I also used my BTB funds to include a $50 gift card so they could buy themselves any additional groceries they might need. I hope it was able to make that week just a little bit less stressful for them and that they felt a sense of community.
Lizzie’s Experience in Florida
Since working remotely became my norm, I realized I wasn’t getting out in my community as much or finding ways to help those in need. At Lemonade Stand, we share stories at our weekly company-wide meeting about how we’ve been able to bless others. I love it because it inspires us to look for ways to give back and introduces us to amazing organizations.
One of my co-workers shared her experience with Lasagna Love, and I was immediately hooked. I mean, who doesn’t love lasagna? Plus, it just happens to be one of my best recipes—so, sold!
Signing up was super easy, and the volunteer portal made it a breeze to connect with someone in need. My first match happened right around Christmas, and I had the chance to provide a Christmas Eve dinner for a local family. It was the perfect way to spread some holiday cheer.
Deea Hobbs: Utah Volunteer Regional Leader
Lasagna Love is an international non-profit. We’re in all 50 states plus Australia and Canada. Our mission is to feed families, spread kindness and strengthen communities.
We do that through volunteers who sign up to purchase the ingredients, make a homemade lasagna in their home and deliver it to a family in need that they are matched with through our website.
Anyone can go to our website and sign up for a free lasagna, no questions asked. We understand that needs come in many forms and not all needs are financial. I’ve delivered lasagnas to people living in tents and to families living in homes much nicer than mine.
Needs are not always outwardly visible and we don’t always know what challenges people are facing.
Sometimes the recipient has had a death in the family or a sick child, a hospital stay or job loss. Sometimes they just are an exhausted parent who needs a break or a single person who is feeling overwhelmed. All they have to do is sign up on our website and they are paired with a volunteer who delivers a lasagna to their door.
How It All Started …
Lasagna Love started at the beginning of the pandemic when a mom in California wanted to help some families in her neighborhood. It was a time of uncertainty and fear and she was trying to figure out how she could help. She asked on a local facebook group if anyone needed a meal and she offered to make them a lasagna.
More and more people requested a lasagna and then other people started asking if they could help her by making a lasagna for someone. Through this grassroots effort, we now have over 55,000 volunteers all cooking and delivering meals to people in their communities.
I heard about Lasagna Love from one of my real estate clients about 4 years ago. I signed up to volunteer the very day she told me about it and a few days later I was delivering a homemade lasagna to a stranger. After my first delivery, I was hooked and it quickly became my passion.
I’ve recruited friends, family and clients in 5 states to volunteer. As the Lasagna Love Regional director over Utah and Nevada, I manage about 500 volunteers. Every Monday, the magic happens and I match requests to volunteers and hungry families are fed.
Lasagna Love’s Mission
Our mission is not only to address the incredible rise in food insecurity but also to provide a simple act of love and kindness during a time of uncertainty, stress or loneliness. We want to remove the stigma some people feel about asking for help. This is just a neighbor helping a neighbor.
I’ve had so many heartwarming experiences delivering lasagnas to people in my community. Some of my favorites are when I get a call as I’m driving off from a delivery and the person who just received a lasagna is calling me asking how they can get involved and make a lasagna for someone.
That’s when I know that this made an impact, it meant something to them and they want to give that experience to someone else. I have personally made and delivered over 200 lasagnas in the past 4 years to families in need.
Every delivery is special to me but I have saved some of the requests that have been extra meaningful—those are shared below.
How Deea’s Childhood Prepared Her for This Moment and Why Her Kitchen Table Is Her Favorite Place
Another very recent request was from a young man, a teenager who requested a meal for his family. He was searching the internet to find resources to help his family. There was no food in their house. They were hungry. His dad had lost his job and his mom was unable to work due to health issues.
Teenage boys should be shooting hoops or playing video games after school, not searching the internet for food for their family because they are all hungry right now. Besides a lasagna made with love, I was able to provide them with additional groceries and other resources for ongoing support.
I was raised by a single mom who worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. There was often chaos and uncertainty in our household. My mom was very resourceful and she showed love to our family and throughout our community by preparing and sharing homemade food. My grandparents did the same. I come from a long line of people who love to cook and share food.
From their examples, I feel like I have been in training for this my whole life. One thing I could always count on was a delicious meal prepared with love by my mom. As a child, the place I felt most secure and loved was at the kitchen table, gathered to eat a homemade meal that my mom or grandmother prepared.
Today I often say my kitchen is my happy place, but it’s really my kitchen table, a place of gathering, sharing and love. I want to give that to someone who may be struggling so they can feel the same. Making a meal for a family feels more like an expression of unity than an act of charity.
And that’s the message that I deliver with my lasagnas, a message that we ALL need, that you’re not alone, we’re all in this life together and someone cares about you. The well-being of one neighbor affects the collective soul of our communities.
With all the negativity and problems in the world, I feel a real urgency to help people. When I’m doing that I’m able to forget about my own problems for a while. Just focusing outside of myself is my stress relief.
I’m grateful to share about this amazing organization and opportunity for service. If you would like to sign up to volunteer, we currently have about 100 families waiting in the surrounding area and more requests come in every day.
If you know of a family in need please direct them to our website. You may also nominate a family for a lasagna. The need is great. When we serve others, we nourish ourselves as well. Check us out at www.lasagnalove.org.
Deea’s Favorite Connections/Requests/Deliveries
“My husband is in the hospital with a brain tumor. I am living in our van in the hospital parking lot because they won’t let me stay in his room. I have no way to cook and can’t afford to eat out or in the cafeteria.”
“Hello, I’ve been diagnosed with heart failure and have not been able to work. It’s one of the hardest things I have ever faced. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for any help.”
“My mom passed away 6 years ago. It’s been very hard to live without her. It may sound silly but one thing I really miss is her cooking. One dish she made that was so delicious was lasagna. So when my friend heard about Lasagna Love and knew that I was struggling, she sent me the link to your site. I just felt like this was a sign that my mom is still with me and is here watching out for me. Thank you for making this happen.”
“I’m a mom to three. I was recently in a car accident that totaled my car that I used for my job. I feel like I’m at a dead end and don’t know how I’ll make ends meet moving forward. My daughters are beautiful and positive where I am not positive at all. This would be very appreciated and helpful. I love this idea and you guys are wonderful for doing it. If my phone is shut off when you try to get ahold me, try 801-xxx-xxxx because my phone bill is past due. Thank you.”
“My best friend nominated me for a lasagna love meal. I am fighting stage 2 cancer. I am a single mom of 3 amazing kids, two sons with special needs and a daughter. It’s been a rough year. I received my cancer diagnosis the day after I filed for divorce. I just finished radiation, and I’ll find out soon if it was successful or if I need chemo and surgery also. A real meal sounds amazing. And my kids will be so happy. They are used to me cooking everything from scratch, but the last few months have been ramen packets or canned food since I’m too wiped out to cook. Thank you!”
“I have been helped before by Lasagna Love. I’m reaching out because now I have been placed in a very scary and painful situation. I have become homeless due to domestic violence. I am staying at the Women’s shelter downtown. There are 200 women here. I know you can only help 1 family but if you could bring a lasagna to me I want to share it with a few women here. We would be so grateful. We are all going through a lot right now. I am extremely stressed out and this would mean so much to me and the other women receiving the meal. All of these women deserve some light and love, and homemade lasagna would make their day. I want to share this blessing with them.”
Yes, Baking Lasagna Is a Way to Build Then Bless!
Build Then Bless is about looking outside of our own circumstances and using the resources we have to build up those around us. Our own team has seen the impact that Lasagna Love is making in our communities. We encourage you to take a look at their site to see how you can be a part of this movement.
