Community-driven organization honors the beloved Italian dish with acts of kindness and support in cities across the nation for the third year in a row.
CHICAGO, July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As National Lasagna Day approaches on July 29, 2024, Lasagna Love is geared to deliver at least 10,000 lasagnas to families facing food insecurity or in times of need across the country. This global initiative not only celebrates the beloved Italian dish but serves as rallying cry for community support and kindness and embodies the spirit of compassion through every carefully prepared dish. It goes beyond simply culinary celebration. This movement isn't just for those in need, but for those who need it.
"National Lasagna Day is such a joyous time for all of us at Lasagna Love. Celebrating it for the third year now fills me with pride and excitement because of the incredible enthusiasm and dedication from our volunteers and supporters," said Andria Larson, Executive Director of Lasagna Love. " Our ambitious goals reflect just how important Lasagna Love's mission is in our communities. Every day, we make real differences in people's lives, and this event highlights the love and care we spread throughout the year."
Lasagna Love set an ambitious goal in 2023 to deliver 10,000 lasagnas, enlist 1,000 new volunteers, and raise $100,000 on National Lasagna Day. Lasagna Love exceeded the goal of 1,211 new monthly volunteers, 11,537 meals delivered and $103,951 raised. To date, Lasagna Love has delivered 500,000 lasagnas to 2 million individuals—including 892,000 children. The organization is working to exceed the goal again 2024.
"Lasagna Love has been a longtime supporter of Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities," said Christina Austin Smith, Volunteer Services Coordinator for Ronald McDonald House near Scottish Rite. "Our families always enjoy the wonderful lasagnas they provide. Lasagna Love helps keep our freezers stocked so that we can feed our families, even when we don't have a meal group to provide dinner. We are grateful for their support!"
"Lasagna Love coordinates meal delivery for individuals and families across the country, helping them meet their basic needs in times of grief, crisis, and hardship," said Candace Stohs-Krause, PMP Marketing Strategist for FindHelp.org. "They are consistently one of the top-engaged organizations on our platform, and we share a focus on providing care with dignity and respect, and eliminating the stigma associated with asking for help. We're proud to partner with such an innovative, kind, and mission-focused organization."
Lasagna Love's theme for this season, "Catch the Kindness," highlights the importance of each act of kindness creating a ripple effect throughout communities. By focusing on this theme, Lasagna Love aims to amplify their message that anyone can make a significant impact through simple, heartfelt gestures of cooking and sharing a meal. The theme also reflects Lasagna Love's ongoing efforts to foster a culture of care and support across neighborhoods, further inspiring both current volunteers and new participants to engage with their community in meaningful ways.
Key partners RAGÚ® and Galbani Cheese are pivotal in making this ambitious goal achievable, ensuring that volunteers have access to essential ingredients needed to prepare these homemade meals.
"We're very excited to continue our partnership with Lasagna Love this year and help them in their mission to help communities everywhere," said Megan Frank, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Mizkan America, Inc., the maker of RAGÚ. "Everyone loves a good, home-cooked meal but making one doesn't have to break the bank or mean spending all day cooking. RAGÚ® Kettle Cooked Sauces offer an easy way for anyone to create a delicious meal to enjoy at home or share with someone who needs one."
Thousands of volunteer "lasagna chefs" from communities globally are organizing both local neighborhood gatherings and large-scale delivery events.
"I'm incredibly proud of our volunteers and everyone in the Lasagna Love family for coming together to support this monumental effort. This day is something we all look forward to each year—it's a real highlight in our journey of kindness and community," Larson added. "A huge thank you to our amazing partners, RAGU, Galbani Cheese, Benelynk, and Pegasystems. Their unwavering support helps us spread kindness and deliver home-cooked meals to families in need. This National Lasagna Day, we're not just delivering lasagnas; we're delivering kindness, hope, and community support."
Adding to the excitement, Lasagna Love has expanded its reach globally, now delivering lasagnas in Australia.
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 with more than 56,000 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 share a seminal purpose: exist to assist. To learn more about Lasagna Love and how you can get involved, visit www.lasagnalove.org or our social channels, @WeAreLasagnaLove (Instagram and Facebook).
About The RAGÚ® Brand
The RAGÚ® brand was founded in 1937 by Assunta and Giovani Cantisano and their sauce was originally sold from their home in Rochester, New York. Assunta carried her family's recipe from Italy when she immigrated to New York in 1914, and it has now been enjoyed by American families for over 85 years. With a wide selection of sauce varieties ranging from the beloved Old-World Style to the Chunky line, cheese sauces, Simply, and new Kettle Cooked, RAGÚ sauce can empower anyone to "Cook Like a Mother" regardless of gender or culinary skill. Today, RAGÚ sauce is the go-to pasta sauce for families coming together to share a quick and delicious meal and an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to "Cook Like a Mother" in the kitchen. For the very latest news, recipes and more from the RAGÚ brand, please check out the brand at www.RAGÚ.com. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok.
Media Contact
Alisha Dickinson, Lasagna Love, 1 858-652-0061, [email protected], https://lasagnalove.org/
SOURCE Lasagna Love
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