Like most people in the spring of 2020, Rhiannon Menn was homebound due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, feeling isolated, the mother of two joined a local San Diego mom's group on Facebook. Women shared their struggles of working from home while homeschooling kids or just being stuck at home with their families 24/7. But then there were other posts.
My pantry is practically empty, people shared, saying they'd lost their jobs and couldn't afford to buy food. Others were too frightened to go to the grocery store.
Rhiannon's heart twisted. She and her husband, Slava, were getting by. Feeling deeply grateful, she felt compelled to help others who were less fortunate.
Rhiannon reached out to her local food pantries and soup kitchens, offering to pitch in. But none were taking new volunteers; some were even shutting their doors.
Just when people need them the most, Rhiannon thought, and told Slava, "If I can't help feed people through a program, I'll cook for them myself!"
Baking up love
Rhiannon decided to make lasagna. "I can make them assembly-line style, and they make good, hearty meals with leftovers," she told Slava. With help from Instacart, Amazon and a Costco manager who put together a large curb pickup order, Rhiannon stocked her kitchen with lasagna fixings. Then she posted: If you need a hot meal, let me know and I'll bring you one, no questions asked.
One of the first to respond was a single mom of five-including a little boy with severe immune problems. She was terrified to leave the house. It's my son's birthday. If we could just have a nice, hot meal it would make it a celebration, she explained to Rhiannon.
This story is from the March 04, 2024 edition of Woman's World.
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This story is from the March 04, 2024 edition of Woman's World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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