ALTON - For those that know Joanne Adams, they will not be surprised that she is spearheading a new volunteer, grassroots initiative as the Regional Leader for Lasagna Love. Joanne just celebrated her one-year anniversary with the organization this past week and covers Northern Madison, Macoupin, Greene, Jersey, and Calhoun Counties.
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Combining her incredible skills in the kitchen and her heart for people, Joanne is leading the way to find both volunteer chefs and families who could use a comforting homemade meal. Joanne said, she "heard about Lasagna Love from a friend (Shelly Lohr) who thought it was a perfect fit!"
As the 2019 Lovejoy Human Rights Award recipient, Joanne has been serving our community with a smile since she moved to Alton in 1997. Joanne delivered her first Meals on Wheels in the late 90s and found joy in helping others. She remembers driving around with a smile on her face the entire first day of delivering those first Meals on Wheels. She started the SAK, Serving Area Kids Program as the Program Coordinator to feed children who face food insecurity and has fed area children over the summers since 2012 and feels that Lasagna Love is another way to share with others.
Above all other things, Joanne hopes that "others can see there are people in our community who truly care. Joanne’s hope is that “others can see the love of Christ through her service and love of her neighbors." Joanne has seen times when the appreciative recipients have gone on to pay it forward to someone else.
Joanne has given back to the local community through many organizations and committees and touches the lives of everyone she encounters. When asked why she decided on Lasagna Love as her next passion project, Joanne said, "During the pandemic, many of my volunteer opportunities disappeared, and Lasagna Love allows me to set my own schedule. Since it is contactless, I seldom see the families receiving the meals, but just knowing that I can take a tiny bit of stress off a family by providing a hot delicious lasagna makes me happy."
If you have a heart for others and love to cook, Lasagna Love may be for you. Joanne shared her experience about the ease of working with the organization in the following statement, "Lasagna Love is really well-organized and has an easy-to-use computer system. You decide how often you want to cook, how far you are willing to travel, and if you are willing to prepare meals for families with specific nutritional needs (food allergies, vegetarian, etc.) Then you bake and deliver."
Joanne says that "matching is done on Mondays or Tuesdays, and you simply contact the families via text, make arrangements to deliver the meal, mark it delivered in the system." As our Regional Leader, Joanne is happy to field any questions, concerns, or issues that arise. She is looking for both chefs and families to deliver to.
Please reach out if you have a group that Joanne should come and speak to about serving or receiving meals.
What is Lasagna Love you ask?
“Lasagna Love is an international, grassroots community impact movement connecting neighbors with neighbors through homemade meal delivery and random acts of kindness. The volunteer-run program abides by three simple principles: feed families, spread kindness and strengthen communities. Founded by a mom in support of parents, Lasagna Love has joined together volunteers across all 50 states in America as well as Canada, Australia, and Puerto Rico.”
How can others sign up to make a meal and share the Love?
“Becoming a Lasagna Chef is easy. Anyone can volunteer to be matched with a family in need and the volunteer experience is very flexible. If a volunteer or family can deliver one lasagna or other hearty meal, it is a welcome gift. If they can do more, Lasagna Love can match them with several families needing support. Lasagna Love volunteers have graciously tailored deliveries - dietary restricted and allergy-friendly - to the needs of each family.
In fact, previously supported Lasagna Love families have signed on as volunteers and are, today, paying it forward to other families in their community. By serving those within our immediate community, Lasagna Love volunteers know to whom they are gifting a meal and recipients know from where their meal came. This model ensures that each participant experiences the impact of giving and receiving - a memory they won’t soon forget.”
Click Here to Sign Up to Volunteer: Volunteer - Lasagna Love
To learn more about Lasagna Love and how you can get involved, visit www.lasagnalove.org or our social channels, @WeAreLasagnaLove (Instagram and Facebook).
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