SHREWSBURY, Mass. — The Central Massachusetts arm of the national Lasagna Love charitable organization is joining together with their counterparts across the country to up the ante for National Lasagna Day.

This year, that delicious holiday lands on July 29, and the organization aims to beat their weekly record of 4,300 lasagnas.

“It’s an audacious goal, but one we hope we’ll realize,” said Wendy Agudelo, who runs communications for Lasagna Love. 

Lasagna Love delivers food to those who are food insecure, ill or just in need of help — like new parents. A national movement that started in San Diego at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Mass iteration is led by Margie White, who wanted to provide help that was a little more tangible.

“I always donated to food drives,” White said. “I sponsored families at my local church at Thanksgiving. I always felt like what I was doing was throwing money at a cause.”

With Lasagna Love, White feels as though she and her teammates are looking out for their neighbors.

“I was letting someone know that I cared about them. Lasagna is a labor of love,” White said. “After seeing all those lines during the pandemic, snaking around food pantries with people hoping to get food for their families, it all just clicked.”

With more than 20,000 volunteers across the country, Lasagna Love chefs prepare and deliver lasagnas each week, free of charge, to the doorsteps of local families. People can sign up privately to receive a meal, without any questions or barriers associated with the process. White said that the group leaders also often post to social media to find requests and she has partnered with food pantries, senior centers, veterans organizations and churches that pass out flyers and include information in their newsletters.

“Even as we emerge from the pandemic, acts of kindness will forever be a welcomed sight,” the organization said. “Our mission is simple: feed families, spread kindness and strengthen communities.”

The campaign is a communal effort.

“A lot of our regional leaders are setting up events,” White said. “Whatever requests come in from my region during the week will go toward the tally. We’re hoping to deliver 5,000 lasagnas next week.”

On average, Lasagna Love delivers 3,000 to 4,000 lasagnas each week across the nation. To date, the nonprofit has impacted over 315,000 lives in just one year. In Central Massachusetts, White said there are over 100 volunteers.

Volunteers are allowed to use their own lasagna recipes or use the one that the organization provides for them.

“Lasagna Love has successfully united more than 20,000 volunteers from all walks of life — decimating invisible barriers created by gender, age, race, politics or socio-economic background — through its shared purpose,” the organization says. “Women, men, couples, families and even clubs and organizations such as Girl Scout Troops have participated in the movement.”

For White, all of the stories and people she has talked to through the program have touched her. She says the texts she receives after food is delivered proves how appreciative people are and how much of a need there is for programs like this.

“As regional leader, I see a lot of notes that people put down with their requests,” White said. “Some of them just break my heart, with how the pandemic has affected them, or maybe they just had surgery or they are a caregiver of an elderly parent.”

To become involved with Lasagna Love, visit lasagnalove.org to cook meals, donate or request a delivery.