For many, losing their job would mean settling into a depression. However, getting furloughed did not stop one woman from doing what she loved: cooking lasagna. And Michelle Brenner, now known as the Lasagna Lady, hasn’t just been making it for herself, she’s been making the dish for people in need!
Very Italian
When Michelle Brenner from Gig Harbor, Washington lost her job at a menswear store a month ago because of COVID-19, she didn’t let it keep her down. Instead, she simply poured her time and energy into something else: cooking lasagna. As of this writing, Brenner’s already cooked over 1,500 pans of lasagna! Not only that, but she has also delivered them personally to anyone who wanted a hot home-made meal, including her friends, as well as locals who have contacted her on Facebook. “I knew it was my time in my life to give back to the people who paved life’s path for me to have the 45 years of life that I’ve had,” Brenner said.
Soon enough, however, Brenner had found another job as a shopper for Instacart. Still, people kept asking her for frozen lasagna. And, when one man contacted Brenner saying he had not had a hot meal in some time, the woman knew she needed to keep working. Plus, she knows that frozen lasagna is simply not an option! “Frozen lasagna is not a treat,” she said. “I am not a fan of frozen lasagna. I’m very Italian.”
Sense of Community
So, taking her entire $1,200 stimulus check on ingredients, Brenner once again offered her incredible lasagnas for free! In the end, she ended up making 150 pans of lasagna, which she once again delivered throughout the area.
“The whole point of this is to spread that sense of community wherever we can through the comfort of lasagna,” Brenner said. “So, I don’t want anybody to feel disincluded because reality is there are people out there who can’t afford a dollar…Many of us go to work and want to go home right away… and I never had that feeling,” she continued about how and shy she works. Soon enough, more people heard about the Lasagna Lady and wanted to help…
Strengthening The Bonds
While Brenner started in her home kitchen, soon enough Gig Harbor Sportsman’s Club heard about her efforts and wanted to help. So, they offered up their kitchen to the hard worker! Meanwhile, Brenner also now has help. Not only in the kitchen, but at the bank as well. Community fundraisers have raised over $23,000 for the Lasagna Lady, allowing her to create a whopping 1,275 pans of lasagna! And Brenner swears that she’ll continue delivering hot meals even after getting back to work.
For now, though Brenner is happy to deliver the pans and listen to families to stories – both positive and negative. One family cried at Easter because this pan was the only thing they could celebrate with. Others tell her how they lost their family members from the pandemic, and how they donate their food to medical workers.
“People say ‘are you tired?’” Brenner said, “and I go, ‘you know, I don’t have time to think about that, I have lasagna to make.’”
Sources: CNN