EATS

By KimBerly redmond

Afreshly baked lasagna ranks among the best comfort foods. From the rich pasta to the perfectly seasoned tomato sauce to the gooey cheese, the classic Italian dish is often found on dinner tables at family gatherings, evoking feelings of warmth, kindness and love.

But, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bubbly hot tray of homemade lasagna has represented so much more.

It’s been a relief for those who are dealing with unemployment, solace for those who have lost a loved one and support for those who are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, thanks to the efforts of Lasagna Love.

Launched in March 2020, Lasagna Love is a nonprofit organization that organizes volunteer cooks to make and deliver lasagna or another meal to someone in a challenging situation — whether financially, physically or emotionally.

Since it was founded by Rhiannon Menn, a mother of three young children living in San Diego when coronavirus sent the country into lockdown mode, the grassroots initiative has grown to more than 25,000 volunteer chefs across the U.S., Australia, Canada and Puerto Rico, cooking and delivering an average of 4,000 meals each week.

And, countless others are contributing to the movement through financial or in-kind donations that have helped sponsor the volunteer network of chefs.

In less than two years, Lasagna Love has fed over a half million people, a feat they hope goes a long way toward erasing the stigma associated with asking for help during challenging times.

Here in Northern New Jersey, the organization boasts several hundred volunteer cooks who make and deliver homecooked meals across Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties, according to Molly Yearick, regional team leader of Lasagna Love’s local chapter.

After Yearick saw Menn on NBC’s Today Show during the summer of 2020, the Maplewood resident knew she wanted to get involved.

“She shared that she began cooking meals for neighbors in need during the beginning of the pandemic. I connected with her story, as I love to bring people together over a homecooked meal. To me, there wasn’t a better way to reach out to support others,” Yearick explained.

Yearick — who spent more than three decades in the fashion business working for iconic brands like Calvin Klein — said, “Working full time in an industry with extensive travel while raising a family left little time for volunteering. I am thrilled to be able to give back now and devote time and passion to Lasagna Love.”

Her dedication to Lasagna Love led her to take on the role of overseeing the organization’s Northern New Jersey chapter. Since starting with Lasagna Love in October 2020, Yearick has watched the number of volunteers grow from a dozen to several hundred.

“I really love working with all of the volunteers,” she said. “I can’t speak highly enough about the supportive, giving cooks on my team. They all have a lot going on in their own personal lives with work, family and more — yet they selflessly cook and give back to neighbors that need extra support. We all feel great about the recipients that we can bring a little kindness to each week.”

The premise is simple: individuals can request a lasagna (or another homecooked family-style dish) for themselves or someone else they may know who is struggling by visiting lasagnalove.org.

Then, they’ll be matched with a local volunteer chef, who prepares the meal and delivers it, free of charge and contactless. All orders are kept confidential, and recipients can sign up every 30 days.

According to Lasagna Love, volunteers follow FDA

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food-handling guidelines and ServSafe protocols and can tailor meals to meet any dietary restrictions or food allergies a recipient may have. Holly Ingraham, a Wallington wife and mother, is among the local volunteers have been delivering compassion — one tray at a time.

“When we were earlier on in the pandemic (pre-vaccine, So, that’s the rub. The Bronco boasts some truly great mid-winter surge), I wanted to find a tangible way to attributes but it’s not perfect. It strikes me as a bit of a help out,” she explained. “Donating money just wasn’t novelty, honestly. Overall, it reminds me of a roofless enough.”and less refined F-150 pick-up truck. Of course, this begs the question: Why not just get an F-150? Unless After learning about Lasagna Love from a friend in you plan on doing heavy-duty off-roading, that’s what Virginia, Ingraham put on an apron and got to work. I’d recommend. Since January 2021, she has made and delivered 30 meals; this year she’s already done seven. If you’re comparing the Bronco to a Jeep Wrangler though, that’s a different story. To me, the Jeep doesn’t “I’ve had the honor of cooking for frontline first stand a chance anymore. Provided you can score responders, families grieving a loved one, people out of a Bronco without the $5,000-$15,000 markup that

NJ-area dealers are charging. work, recovering from surgery, having just brought a newborn home, and so much more. I know that I’m making a difference for these families, even if it is a small one. I can help ease their burden for a meal or two, which is why I continue to cook,” Ingraham said.

The ongoing pandemic — coupled with rising prices due to inflation and supply chain issues — have only exacerbated food insecurity levels, nationally and locally.

Even prior to COVID, at least one in 14 Bergen County residents had limited or uncertain access to an adequate supply of nutritional food.

Since Spring 2020, local food pantries have seen a 50 percent increase in clients and some sites have reported a 200 percent spike in visitors, a recent survey by county officials found.

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For Yearick, the continued demand has been one of the most challenging aspects.

“I would love to ensure that are requests are met weekly. I ‘match’ recipients with Lasagna Love chefs every Tuesday. Some weeks, there are a handful of families left un-matched as all chefs are already cooking,” she said, adding, “We usually can accommodate the following week.”

“My wish is that every need is met every week,” Yearick said. “We are doing more and more outreach to find chefs to meet the increasing demand.”

Lasagna Love also works with a variety of food pantries, service organizations and other groups to help connect with those in need, including people who are isolated or have limited social supports and resources.

For more information on volunteering to cook, requesting a meal or about the organization, visit www.lasagnalove.org.

Molly Yearick