By Alison Sullivan
Lasagna Love is a national movement of neighbors cooking for one another in a time of need. Deidre Mamos Shapiro of Sterling, Mass. has been involved for six months, and hopes to increase awareness in Sterling and surrounding towns.
“I like to cook,” said Mamos Shapiro. “I felt like with everything that’s been going on with my friends, my neighbors, and people I didn’t even know with [COVID-19], this was something I could do to help.”
Through Lasagna Love, anyone can sign up to give or receive a homemade lasagna. Recipients can specify dietary preferences, and can request meat, vegetarian, or even vegan options, according to Mamos Shapiro. Recipients do not need to provide a reason or income verification to get a free lasagna.
Mamos Shapiro said she has received fewer requests for lasagnas as the organization has grown and more people in the area have volunteered. She hopes to raise awareness that Lasagna Love is for anyone and everyone who could use help putting dinner on the table.
“It could be for any reason from just, ‘I’m a really busy mom and I’m trying to balance my kids with working full time, and it would be really nice to have a meal delivered,’ to people with COVID in the family or cancer in the family and they’re too sick to cook, or that food insecurity need and they need a delivery of food,” said Mamos Shapiro. Anyone looking to donate to or receive from Lasagna Love can visit www.LasagnaLove.org. There is an option to donate to the organization as a whole or to sponsor a local lasagna maker.