HURRICANE, Utah — A single mother in Hurricane is using food to spread joy by putting homemade holiday meals on tables for about 160 people who might not have had one otherwise.
The idea started during the pandemic, when Alisa Brewer wanted to help her neighbors and show her 10-year-old daughter the power of kindness.
“When COVID hit, I didn’t want my daughter to be scared. The whole world was scared,” said Brewer.
She started cooking for families who either couldn’t go to the store or couldn’t afford it.
“People started donating and I would cook for whole families for a week, and it just kind of evolved into what it is today,” she said.
Since then, Brewer has been cooking holiday meals for people in need, with her daughter, Haven, by her side.
“I feel like this is a great way to pay it forward,” said Brewer. “My mom taught me how to cook when I was little and it’s always been a love language.”
“Making homemade food and sharing that with others is definitely showing that love, and that’s exactly what she is,” said Brewer’s friend, Sunni Bran.
On the menu: turkeys, roasts, mac and cheese, funeral potatoes, green beans, pies, and most of all, love.
“There’s always something you can do,” said Brewer. “And especially when a lot of people get together and everybody gives a little, we can do a whole lot.”
While Brewer cooks all the meals, the food supplies and ingredients come through donations from right here in the community. People gave over $500 to buy cans of food, crackers, turkeys, hams, fresh vegetables, takeout containers, and everything else needed to bring these meals together.
“I’ve had single moms be like, 'This is $3, it’s all I have,' and I’m like, 'Watch what I do with these $3,” said Brewer. “It adds up.”
“Alisa has been a force for good; just watching what she does for the community has been amazing,” said Brann. “I feel warm and just like the Grinch with my heart growing three times in size, and it also makes me feel like if she can do it, what can I do? What do I want to do to help the community”
Why does Brewer do it? To pay it forward to a community that embraced her and gave her a fresh start.
“I came with my guitar, my massage table, $30 and this little beauty and a backpack and I packed as many clothes as I could into my massage table and got here,” said Brewer as she recalled moving to southern Utah 8 years ago. “This community is our village. We have a village, we have an army. I’m the least alone single mom I know.”
And lead by example for Haven.
“When she’s older like me, I hope that she has these memories of cooking with me like I have memories of cooking with my mom in her kitchen,” said Brewer. “And I hope she carries on that tradition. Cooking is our love language. Feeding people is amazing.”
