Week Long Event Highlights Nonprofit’s Reach and Multiyear Impact; Awards Received, Goals Surpassed and 1.5 Million People Fed
BOSTON – National Lasagna Day, which annually observes one of America’s most cherished comfort foods on July 29, has also become a day of celebration for global community impact nonprofit Lasagna Love.
Lasagna Love was born from one mom’s act of kindness – delivering hot pans of cheesy lasagna to neighbors during the COVID-19 pandemic. After posting to Facebook an offer to deliver a free meal, Rhiannon Menn, a Brown University and MIT Sloan graduate, stumbled into the role of “accidental nonprofit entrepreneur.” Her post and corresponding generous good deed went viral, igniting an initiative that today boasts more than 45,000 volunteers across all 50 states in America, Australia, and Canada. Since inception, Lasagna Love volunteers, lovingly referred to as ‘lasagna chefs,’ have made and delivered more than 350,000 lasagnas, feeding upwards of 1.5 million people.
Next week, Lasagna Love and a list of supportive partners including RAGÚ®, Galbani Cheese, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Fall River, MA-based Whirlpool, and the Boston Red Sox, will host a full week of events designed to stimulate awareness, encourage volunteerism, and most importantly, deliver 10,000 lasagnas to neighbors in need. This is the third consecutive year that Lasagna Love has earmarked National Lasagna Day as its annual celebration.
“For us, lasagna is more than just a meal,” said Menn. “Lasagna represents a symbol of hope, home-cooked with love, and hand-delivered with dignity and respect. No matter the reason for the need, Lasagna Love is devoted to feeding families, spreading kindness, and strengthening communities.”
Lasagna Love Night at Fenway Park Extends Local Awareness
On Tuesday, July 25, Lasagna Love Founder Rhiannon Menn and the organization’s entire executive team will join a gathering of more than 375 Lasagna Love volunteers from across the country to celebrate National Lasagna Day, and to receive on-field recognition from the Boston Red Sox before the team faces off against the Atlanta Braves.
Lasagna Love Night at Fenway Park has become an anchor event for the nonprofit as the greatest momentum behind Lasagna Love was generated in the Bay State – leading Menn to officially launch Lasagna Love as a nonprofit.
In just three short years operating in Massachusetts, Lasagna Love has delivered a staggering 26,325 total deliveries – feeding more than 100,800 people across the Bay State. This delivery metric is second only to Lasagna Love deliveries in the state of California.
Massachusetts Recognizes Statewide Impact Made By Lasagna Love Volunteers
More than 45,000 volunteers have prepared and delivered meals for Lasagna Love, with 3,280 of them residing in Massachusetts. The consistent support of Bay State volunteers have earned Lasagna Love recognition from a variety of organizations including the Massachusetts Commission of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (Mass GRG), the Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center, and Governor Maura Healy.
The Mass GRG presented Andrea Scullin, volunteer and regional director for Lasagna Love Massachusetts, with the 2023 Friends of the Commission Award for providing vital resources for vulnerable children throughout the Commonwealth. Nancy Johnson, volunteer and regional leader for Lasagna Love Cape Cod and the Islands also recently accepted the Community Partnership Award for supporting the veterans and their families residing on Cape Cod and the Islands.
“Volunteer chefs in Massachusetts have consistently immersed themselves in our cause,” said Scullin. “Lasagna Love has been able to make such a significant contribution because of a deeply committed leadership and desire to strengthen our communities. Many of our volunteers have been with us since 2020 because the need in the Bay State continues to be so high.”
Audacious Goals for National Lasagna Day 2023
Last year (2022), Lasagna Love set an ambitious goal to deliver 10,000 lasagnas, enlist 1,000 new volunteers, and raise $100,000 on National Lasagna Day. The organization not only met but surpassed those goals. Lasagna Love has sights set on another record-breaking year – aiming to replicate the 10,000 meal delivery in 2023, to add 100 new volunteer chefs to its ranks, and raise $100,000.
“With support from our valued partnerships and collaborations with the likes of the Boston Red Sox, we believe we can achieve our National Lasagna Day goals,” continued Scullin. “Lasagna love is needed in Massachusetts and we are fortunate to have tremendous scaffolding here. Even so, to continue our work, the more help we can get, the more families we can feed.”
About Lasagna Love
Lasagna Love is a community impact program that connects neighbors through gestures of kindness, goodwill, and support. The nonprofit has joined together more than 45,000 volunteers from around the world and abides by three simple principles: feed families, spread kindness and strengthen communities. Lasagna Love fosters a culture of positivity, empathy, zero-judgment, and maintains a steadfast resolve to deliver comfort when needed most. Lasagna Love volunteers also share a seminal purpose: exist to assist. To learn more about Lasagna Love, visit www.lasagnalove.org or our social channels, @WeAreLasagnaLove (Instagram and Facebook).
