This woman has fed over 4,000 people in her community with lasagna in a two month period.
Sam Peavy, dubbed “Sam the Lasagna Lady, has been donating pans of lasagna to her Virginia community since the end of October, as a way to spread love this holiday season.
“To bring them some joy and a little love we just bring them some lasagna to say ‘hey we’re all in this together,’” said the Norfolk-based chef and author.
Sam began by donating lasagna to the fire department as a thank you for their services.
She has since teamed up with the fire department and the Women’s Club of Norfolk to get meals to homeless shelters, families that have lost their homes to fires, people who have suffered during the pandemic, the local church and senior citizens homes.
“I think some people have lost hope and I think some people may have lost hope in humanity,” Sam said.
“Particularly this year you never know what someone is experiencing…it’s really just to share some hope and love.”
Sam has been giving away lasagnes for the past 25 years, making her ‘Lasagne Lady’ moniker well-earned.
During her time in Chicago she would take leftover lasagna to homeless people under bridges and serve it to them while sitting and talking to them about their lives.
“I just literally have a big heart to give,” she said.
One pan of lasagna feeds six people.
At the time of writing Sam, her husband Marlon and the volunteers at the Women’s Club have fed over 4,392 people in need this year alone.
“It’s an effort that my husband and I do together,” Sam said.
“It’s really been us that’s been doing this and he’s been made an honorary member of the Women’s Club of Norfolk because of all the volunteering he does.”
Sam has the goal of donating 1,000 pans this holiday season, but really is just happy to be helping people in general.
She said: “Someone who gets a pan of lasagna or a sandwich from someone can change their entire outlook.”