Non-Profit Spotlight: Lasagna Love

In 2020, prompted by COVID-related struggles of families, Rhiannon Menn of Kihei, Hawaii started making lasagnas for friends and families in her community who were in need of a home-cooked meal. Seeing the impact that a warm meal had made on those around her, Rhiannon continued her efforts. She founded Lasagna Love, a non-profit organization that has now provided thousands of free, homemade lasagnas to families in need.

Lasagna Love has since grown into a national movement to feed neighbors who are struggling, or who just might need a break from the stress of making dinner for the family. They provide a warm lasagna meal to anyone who requests it, no questions asked.

Lasagna Love was featured nationally on the Today Show in October 2020. The show featured founder Rhiannon as she spoke about the impact her small gesture of love and kindness has had on families across America.

After watching Rhiannon and seeing her passion, I decided to get involved with Lasagna Love here in the Fargo-Moorhead community. I make a pretty decent lasagna; it’s my go-to meal when someone is sick or just had a baby, or just struggling a bit. That is the purpose of Lasagna Love after all, right?

I searched their website and saw there were no Lasagna Chefs here in Fargo, so I volunteered. COVID and lockdown have left me searching for a sense of purpose. I felt a need to give back to others in this community and Lasagna Love seemed like the perfect organization for me to get involved in.

I complete the volunteer application on the Lasagna Love website. Soon after, I received a welcome email from the Regional Director. And also a request to become a Regional Leader for the Fargo area! I was one of the first to volunteer to make lasagnas in our area, and they needed someone who could be in charge of matching the volunteers with families in need.

I said yes and I jumped into the world of Lasagna Love with two feet. The first family I delivered a meal to was a single mom with four children. She just needed a break from cooking one night and was so grateful for the hot lasagna I was able to deliver to her doorstep.

Volunteering with Lasagna Love has really been wonderful. It has been incredibly gratifying to work with volunteers around Fargo who want to do good for people they don’t know without expecting anything back in return. The volunteers I work with are a caring group of people who always go above and beyond to help. The best thing about the Fargo-Moorhead community is the willingness to give and help neighbors when needed, and with this giving spirit, I know that we can continue to spread the Lasagna Love for a long time.

Interested in volunteering or want to request a lasagna? Visit www.lasagnalove.org to volunteer, donate, or request a lasagna.