Credit: Michelle Brenner

One generous soul put her stimulus check to work feeding the hungry.

Michelle Brenner, age 45, of Gig Harbor, Washington came into her retail job at a menswear store, only to discover that she had been laid off due to pandemic-induced cutbacks. With her mood soured, she turned to her favorite comfort food, her grandmother’s top secret lasagna recipe, which perked her right up. A little while after that, she offered to do some grocery shopping for some friends, but when she discovered all of them were eating frozen lasagna, she simply wouldn’t stand for it. Now, three months later, Brenner has become the “Lasagna Lady,” cooking up delicious pasta in massive batches not just for her friends, but for hungry mouths all over Gig Harbor.

“The world as we know it is falling apart, but my two little hands are capable of making a difference,” Brenner told the Washington Post. “I can’t change the world, but I can make lasagna.”

Utilizing her $1,200 stimulus check, Brenner bought massive quantities of lasagna ingredients, and through a community Facebook post, informed her friends and family that anyone who wanted a home cooked meal was welcome to come get one. Word spread fast, and soon folks from all over the city were coming in search of delicious lasagna that Brenner was all too happy to provide. So far, she has assembled over 1,200 pans of lasagna, working 8 hours a day and seven days a week. In addition to giving them out, she also began personally delivering them to essential workers including police officers, fire departments, hospitals, and even prisons. In order to keep the flow of ingredients steady, a fundraiser has been launched on Facebook, which has raised over $23,000.

Credit: Michelle Brenner

The Gig Harbor Sportsman’s Club, touched by Brenner’s generosity and hard work, offered her the use of their gigantic kitchen. “We saw what a great thing she was doing, and we have this nice commercial kitchen that wasn’t being used because of COVID,” Le Rodenberg, the club’s president, told the Post. “I can tell you that she takes extra care with every one of those lasagnas.”

Brenner is hoping she can get a new job and get back to her normal life some time in the summer, but until then, and possibly after, she’ll keep working hard to provide steaming lasagna to anyone who wants or needs it.

“One lasagna at a time, we’re going to get through this,” she told KING 5 news.