32nd Annual Feed Lake County Food Drive & Fundraiser
Thanks to Buyers Products Company, When You Give Now Your Impact Will be DOUBLED!
Buyers Products Company will Match ALL Gifts up to a Maximum of $25,000 in Total Donations now through March 31, 2024!
Scroll down for 4 Simple Ways You can Help Feed our Community's Hungry! A List of 2024 Food Drop-Off Locations can be found here.
Hunger & Poverty in Lake County - Fast Facts (Click Here for an Infographic!)
According to Feeding America, below are food insecurity estimates in Lake County:*
- 22,740 (9.8%) Lake County residents are estimated to be living with food insecurity.
-
5,040 (10.8%) children in Lake County are estimated to be living with food insecurity.
-
6.5% of seniors (60 years of age and up) are estimated to be living with food insecurity
(Based on the Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metro area report. Source: Ziliak, J., Gundersen, C. (2023). The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2021: An Annual Report. Report for Feeding America.) -
The annual food budget shortfall in Lake County is $16,325,000.
Additionally
- One-third of Lake County households - 33% - currently struggle to afford basic needs. This includes the working poor who make up a stark 24%**, and the 9% who live in poverty.***
- According to a CBS News report (2/14/24), supermarket prices are now 25% higher than they were in 2020.
- The large price hike in food has hit the working poor and middle class the hardest as many do not qualify for federal nutrition programs.
- Hunger can affect people from all walks of life - thousands of residents are just one job loss, missed paycheck, medical emergency, or unexpected expense away from hunger.
100% of donations made to our Community Impact Fund stay local to benefit Lake County residents in need.
The food and funds raised from this fundraiser work to help restock the shelves of the 38 Lake County food pantries we help support and fill the gap in needed items that are difficult for them to acquire elsewhere. The food pantries depend upon community efforts to help feed families, children and senior citizens in need. They depend upon United Way of Lake County. We depend upon you.
How United Way of Lake County Impacted Hunger Last Year
With the help of our community, United Way of Lake County most recently:
- Provided 38 local food pantries with nearly $118,791 worth of food for those suffering from hunger (July 2022- June 2023).
- Helped provide 19,030 congregate meals to our Seniors (2023).
- Helped provide 901 cans of formula for babies of low-income households (2023).
4 Simple Ways You and/or Your Organization Can Help
- Monetary Donations: We are currently encouraging Monetary Donations as the number one way to contribute. When you give by March 31, 2024, you will be doubling the impact of your gift thanks to Buyers Products Company in Mentor, who is matching all gifts up to a maximum of $25,000 in total donations! Plus, as food costs remain at an all-time high, gifts of money help us meet the specific unmet needs of our community. Please click here to donate online or mail a check made payable to United Way of Lake County to United Way of Lake County, ATT: Feed Lake County, 9285 Progress Parkway, Mentor, OH 44060.
TOP 10 Most Needed Items: If you are running a fundraiser to collect money on our behalf, click here for a promotional flyer!
- Food Drive: Organize a Food Drive at your organization, in your neighborhood, or in any groups you belong to (book clubs, card clubs, etc.) and donate all funds raised and food collected to United Way of Lake County. To sign up to participate in a food or fundraising drive, contact David Whittaker at 440-639-1203 or via email at dwhittaker@uwlc.org.
TOP 10 Most Needed Food: If you are running a fundraiser to collect non-perishable food donations on our behalf, click here for a promotional flyer!
- "Philanthropic Pantry Purge!"/ Donate Food: Purge your pantry, cabinets, and cupboards to fill a box or grocery bag with food to donate! To help even further, rally your neighbors, friends, and family to do the same. Or, dedicate a portion of your weekly shopping to stock up on extras for those in need. Click here for a list of drop-off locations.
- Volunteer. If you or someone you know is interested in helping us sort food items we can use your help! If interested, please call 440-639-1107 or email ejohnston@uwlc.org
Promotional Flyers for Your Use
Click on any of the below images to enlarge, save, and/or print! The first version is for use if you are running a fundraiser to raise money on our behalf, and the second version is for use if you are running a food drive to collect non-perishable food. Each lists the Top 10 Most Needed Items. The third flyer is an infographic with information about hunger in Lake County.
*Source: Gundersen, C., Strayer, M., Dewey, A., Hake, M., & Engelhard, E. (2023). Map the Meal Gap 2023: An Analysis of County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2021. Feeding America.
**Source: ALICE in Ohio 2023 Report - United Way ALICE & Poverty in Lake County in 2021.
***Source: Poverty in Lake County percentage based on U.S. Census Bureau population estimates, July 1, 2023 (V2023).
·