HARAHAN, La. — In Kimberly Broussard’s kitchen, there are layers upon layers of love.
“I love to cook,” she said. “It's just yummy and it's full of cheese and it's gooey.”
Broussard is in the midst of her new weekly tradition: making lasagna for someone she’s never met.
“The thing weighs about six pounds. It’s pretty heavy,” she said.
Broussard is a volunteer with Lasagna Love.
“Food is love,” she said.
It’s a program that began during the pandemic, in the kitchen of founder Rhiannon Menn.
“I remember just feeling so helpless and watching people around me lose jobs, lose child care,” Menn said.
So, the San Diego mom offered to make a meal for anyone in need in her area.
“I posted to some local mom’s groups on Facebook, 'Hey, you know if you're struggling, whatever that looks like for you-- if it's financial, if it's emotional, if you're immunocompromised and can't go to the grocery store--my daughter and I are making extra meals. Like, please let us bring you dinner.' And people said yes,” she said.
With that, Lasagna Love was born as people contacted Menn to ask if they could help, too. The registered nonprofit now has “Lasagna Mama and Papa” volunteers in all 50 states, with a website where you can request a meal or offer to make one.
“I'm just so inspired and a little bit in awe of how many people there are that want to be part of this, spreading kindness,” Menn said.
Back in Kimberly Broussard’s Louisiana kitchen, her latest lasagna will soon be ready to be dropped off to a family in need. She’s made nearly 20 for Lasagna Love.
“Just the thought of families not being able to eat, it was just a way to help,” Broussard said, “and it's just a way to say, ‘hey, look, you know, yeah, you're struggling, but there are people out there that care.’”
It’s a way of caring for one another, using food as a language of love.