HUNTSVILLE – A good meal sparks joy – especially during the holidays.

And, each year Hannah Ferrucci prepares gumbo for her close friends and family.

“They were like, ‘this gumbo is so good you should sell it!’” said Ferrucci. “I’m from New Orleans. My mom and aunts were always cooking gumbos.”

She thought about keeping the money for herself as the orders piled in. However, Ferrucci said she lacked the motivation to prepare about 30 quarts of gumbo.

“I didn’t know how to cook the gumbo and get through this,” she said. “I figured, if I donate half of the money to an organization then it would help me push through and get my orders out.”

In 2021, Ferrucci split her gumbo profits with nonprofits that supply critical services and support for individuals battling addiction and homelessness. This year, her generosity will help women across the state heal from stress and anxiety.

Ferrucci has donated half of her sales to support women who cannot afford a full year (12 sessions) of professional counseling services. Her good friend Courtney Hancock launched the Birmingham-based organization – Better – this summer.

“I was inspired to start it because therapy has been a really important part of my life and my family’s life,” said Hancock. “We allow our recipients to choose who they want to go see. That’s something we wanted to offer to empower the women coming through.”

Since June, Better has been able to cover full counseling services for three Alabama women. Hancock said each session costs about $150 and at least 46 women are  on the wait list to see a therapist.

Thanks to Ferrucci’s support, more women will have the chance to care for their mental health in the new year.

“If you take care of yourself and your own mental health and better yourself, you’re going to be better for those around you,” said Hancock.

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