An organization called Lasagna Love is seeking volunteer “lasagna chefs” to cook meals for families and individuals in need in the Franklin County region.

Lasagna Love started as an individual initiative by founder Rhiannon Menn to give back to those in need when she was feeling “helpless” at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

“It snowballed from there,” Ashley Keating, the regional director overseeing Maine, said. “Now, Lasagna Love is a nationwide movement, registered as a 501(c)(3) organization with 28,000 lasagna chefs assisting people. In total, Lasagna Love has delivered over 70,000 lasagnas in the past year.

“It’s been unbelievable growth,” Keating said.

Though the organization was only assisting families when it first started, Keating said they now “help veterans, the elderly, families, single people, those struggling with the pandemic, stuck at home quarantining.”

Keating, who started volunteering for the organization in September 2020, is gearing up to assist residents of Franklin County and surrounding areas.

“We’re always open to taking chefs but the main thing is driving awareness about the lasagnas,” Keating said. She estimates that in the past year there have been “roughly about 100” orders for lasagnas in Franklin County and she anticipates more requests will be made in the coming weeks as she focuses on the region.

This is how it works: individuals who want to be lasagna chefs sign up and volunteer to cook the meals by filling out a schedule and how far they are willing to travel to deliver the meal in the organization’s portal. Individuals interested in volunteering can sign up to be available to cook as much as they want, whether that be a one-time shift, every now and then, once a month, or once a week. “They have control of their own schedules,” Keating said.

Individuals who are in need can fill out a request form on the website where they can specify their allergies and dietary restrictions to request a lasagna up to once every 30 days.

The organization ensures that lasagna chefs and those requesting lasagnas are both protected: people putting in requests must sign a waiver that ensures the chef is not liable for any damage and the lasagna chefs must sign nondisclosure agreements to ensure the privacy of those requesting.

“At the core of Lasagna Love, our values are to spread kindness, strengthen your community, and give back,” Keating said. “It’s always important to give back where you can. And to feed people. There’s definitely a need out there.”

Individuals interested in cooking or requesting a lasagna can learn more information or sign up at LasagnaLove.org.