Kristy Szablya has been an advocate for our “Cougs helping Cougs” motto for years. After moving back to the area after living on the West side for 33 years, Kristy joined a WSU parent Facebook group where she noticed many parents asking about the best places to get food delivered to their sick children. 

“It really always turned out to be ‘call Safeway’ and have them deliver Campbell’s chicken soup,” she said. “I thought to myself, well I can do that, I can make really good chicken soup and deliver it, that’s kind of how it all started … anything a mother has done, I’ve done.” 

Four years ago, Szabyla made the decision to rapidly expand her services to cater to a variety of student needs. She bakes cookies, delivers home-cooked meals several times a week, and even takes students to doctor’s appointments and the airport. 

Her most popular service is her home-cooked meals. Szablya has a rotating menu each week that parents and students can order ahead that can be found on her website. 

“They’re all home-cooked comfort foods like spaghetti or cougar gold mac and cheese, which is a popular one,” she said. 

Szabyla said parents and students can order from her, or get into contact with her through Facebook messenger, but if the need is urgent, Szablya’s personal phone number is posted on her website. 

She provides services to students who have food insecurity and will provide them with free meals and does this with the idea of paying it forward in mind, she said.

In one particular instance, Szabyla took a student to a doctor’s appointment where the student was diagnosed with cancer. She said it was a very scary and stressful time for the student, and she wanted to do something to take their mind off of it. 

“I drove us out to my parent’s house who lives out in the country, and fed the llamas and chickens that lived around there,” she said. 

Szablyza’s love and care for those around her do not go unrecognized. Repeat customer Wendi Dierickx said she ordered home-cooked food for her son throughout his years attending WSU. 

“Kristy has one of the biggest hearts ever. I actually don’t know how she fits everything into her day,” she said. “She is incredible.”

Dierickx said she wants to make sure word gets out to freshmen parents and students about Kristy and her services because she thinks they can benefit most from them. 

Szablya’s services can be accessed on yourothermother.net, where she accepts Venmo or direct payments off of her website.