Lasagna Love is proud to announce its partnership with the Girl Scouts, introducing an exciting patch program tailored to inspire young minds while making a tangible impact in communities. Through this initiative, local Girl Scout troops have the opportunity to earn an exclusive Lasagna Love Patch!
This innovative program isn’t just about earning a patch—it’s about fostering empathy, understanding, and proactive engagement. Girl Scouts will delve into the diverse challenges individuals face today, grasp the importance of extending a helping hand, and explore innovative ways to effect positive change in their neighborhoods. In short, Girl Scouts will engage in meaningful activities that resonate with our core values at Lasagna Love.
We’ve crafted this program with the aim of not only addressing community needs but also instilling lifelong lessons. By participating, troops contribute to addressing local waitlists, facilitating the preparation and delivery of multiple meals while learning invaluable skills and fostering a spirit of altruism.
Below, you’ll find step-by-step instructions outlining how troops can complete the patch requirements. Join us in empowering the next generation of compassionate leaders and expanding our network of dedicated volunteers. Together, we can make a difference, one lasagna at a time.
Step One: Discover Lasagna Love
The steps listed below are to be completed by ALL scouts, regardless of grade level.
1: Go to the About Us and find the mission statement. Talk to your troop/family about the mission statement and why it matters. If you started an organization what would you do and what would your mission statement be? Share it with your troop, family, or a trusted adult.
2: Go to our Kindness Pledge page and take the Kindness Pledge. How many ways can you think of to spread kindness? Make a kindness bucket list and start doing it! Share our Kindness Pledge, have your Troop Leader take pictures and post them to social media with the hashtags #kindnesspledge #wearelasagnalove
3: Go to our website and learn how Lasagna Love started. How many people have been fed to date? How does someone over 18 become a Lasagna Love Volunteer? Remember, you can still participate if you are under 18 if your parent or guardian signs up with you. You’ll need to browse the website for answers to these questions.
4: Lasagna Love is proud to offer a meal to anyone for any reason. One of our core values is ZERO JUDGMENT because need comes in many forms. A struggle is a problem or issue we may be facing. What kind of needs do people have? What are some other struggles people may face? If you are comfortable, share one of your struggles with your troop, family, or a trusted adult.
Step Two: Feed Families
The following are ideas of what your troop can do to learn how Lasagna Love feeds families. Recommended numbers of activities based on level are listed below:
Daisies/Brownies- 1 Item
Junior/Cadettes- 2 Items
Senior/Ambassadors- 3 Items
1: Volunteer at a local food pantry 3 times.
2: Install and stock a local blessing box (mini food pantry) somewhere in your community.
3: Make and deliver 5 lasagnas or meals of your choice to a local emergency shelter or food pantry.
4: Talk with your troop and your family about why it’s important to help feed others.
5: Bake a sweet treat for a neighbor and deliver it with a homemade card.
6: Bring your favorite snack to share with your friend.
7: Assemble 5 “Birthday in a Box” kits for your local food pantry. What you will need:
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- 9×13 disposable aluminum foil pan – the ones with lids work best! If not, be sure to add some clear wrap.
- A box of your favorite cake mix
- A 12-oz. can of Sprite or other lemon-lime soda (store brand is fine to use) just in case the recipient does not have eggs or oil – more on this later
- 1 container of icing
- Don’t forget those birthday candles
- You can also add paper plates, forks, napkins, streamers, balloons, and a handmade birthday card to complete your perfect Birthday Box
- About that lemon-lime soda:
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- Did you know that you can make a delicious cake out of nothing but a cake mix and a can of lemon-lime soda? Well, you do now! Not everyone has eggs and/or oil on hand. Just imagine how disappointed you’d be if you had a Birthday Cake Box but no ingredients to make it! So add that can of soda along with a note giving simple instructions on how to make this delicious cake with one ingredient. Mix the 1 can of soda along with the box of cake mix, pour into the pan, and cook according to what the box says. Best of all if they do have the eggs/and or oil on hand they now have a beverage too!
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Step Three: Spread Kindness
The following are ideas of what your troop can do to learn how Lasagna Love spreads kindness. Recommended numbers of activities based on level are listed below:
Daisies/Brownies- 1 Item
Junior/Cadettes- 2 Items
Senior/Ambassadors- 3 Items
1: Get 5 people to join you in taking the Kindness Pledge.
2: Tell a teacher all about Lasagna Love and what we do. You can find more information here: www.lasagnalove.org
3: Make appreciation cards for teachers, nurses, or your local senior center.
4: Host a clean-up day at a local park or walking trail. Don’t forget your work gloves and trash bags!
5: KINDNESS ROCKS! Paint rocks to hide in your community with positive messages painted on them. Have your Troop Leader take pictures to post on social media with #girlscoutssharelasagnalove and don’t forget to tag us on Instagram.
6: With adult supervision, make and share treat bags with the local unhoused population. Include unscented deodorant, meat sticks, bottled water, a plastic fork and spoon, a small first aid kit, and hot hands. Remember, the treat bags need to be fairly small.
Step Four: Strengthen Communities
The following are ideas of what your troop can do to learn how Lasagna Love strengthens communities. Recommended numbers of activities based on level are listed below:
Daisies/Brownies- 1 Item
Junior/Cadettes- 2 Items
Senior/Ambassadors- 3 Items
1: Advertise and host a food drive for your local food pantry (check with your local food pantry first).
2: Advertise and host a LID (Lasagna Ingredient Drive) for the Lasagna Love Local Leader in your area or for your troop/family to make and deliver lasagnas for B2 or for D9 (see bottom for details on cooking for Lasagna Love).
3: Advertise and host a community “chalk-a-thon” where the community comes together and “chalks the walks” with positive messages of kindness and love. Have an adult take pictures of your creations and share them on social media with #girlscoutssharelasagnalove; don’t forget to tag us on Instagram too!
4: Make and take a meal to some of your local first responders (firefighters, police, ambulance, and don’t forget the 911 call center employees).
5: Learn about food insecurity. Create an awareness campaign about food insecurity and list places that can help with it.
6: Check with your local animal shelter for their needs. Host a drive to raise clean towels/blankets and dry food to donate. Bake homemade pet treats to take; recipes can be found online.
7: Host a game day or craft day at the local senior center.
8: Sponsor a soup kitchen day at your local food pantry.
9: Contact your Lasagna Love Local Leader to see if your area has a waiting list for recipients to receive a meal. If they do, work with your Local Leader to host a “group cook” with another troop or group and make 5 or more meals to distribute to these families that have been waiting. It would work like this:
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- Have your Troop Leader email volunteer@lasagnalove.org to find out who the Lasagna Love Local Leader is in your area.
- Have your Troop Leader email the Lasagna Love Local Leader and tell them who you are and that you would like to know if there are outstanding requests for whom Girl Scouts can help cook.
If there is a need, decide among your troop/family how many meals you think you can contribute and email the Local Leader back to let them know. The Lasagna Love Local Leader will explain how the program works and work out the bigger details with your Troop Leader.
Step Five: Congratulations!
Congratulations, you’ve earned a new patch!
Thank you for participating in the Lasagna Love’s Girl Scout patch program. Please order your patches here.
We would appreciate your taking the time to complete a quick review on how well you enjoyed our program. All submissions will be anonymous. Review form: Girl Scout Experience
