31st 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 April 30, 2023!
Click here or scroll down for 4 Simple Ways you can help feed our community's hungry!
Click here for a list of Food Drop Off Locations!
Hunger & Poverty in Lake County - Fast Facts
According to Feeding America, below are food insecurity estimates in Lake County:*
- 25,840 Lake County residents are estimated to be living with food insecurity. That's 11.2% of the population, which equates to approximately 1 in 9 residents.
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6,770 children in Lake County are estimated to be living with food insecurity. This is 14.7% of children, a significant 1 in 6.8.
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The annual food budget shortfall in Lake County is $14,221,000.
-Pre-Inflation, 30% of Lake County households struggled to afford basic needs.**This includes the working poor who make up a stark 23%, and the 7% who live in poverty. We can only imagine the increase that has occurred due to inflation and the high cost of food currently being experienced. Many households that experience food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition programs, especially among the working poor.
-The large price hikes in food and inflation have hit the working poor and middle class the hardest. According to a January 31, 2022 report by cbsnews.com, more people are turning to food banks to eat. Food banks we help supply.
-SNAP: The temporary boost to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits put in place during the pandemic ended this past February. The pantries we work with have communicated that this, along with the increase in food prices and inflation has led to an greater increase in the need for food.
-Many households that experience food insecurity 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 35+ local Lake County food pantries and fill the gap in needed items difficult 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, last year United Way of Lake County
- Provided 35+ local food pantries with nearly $110,000 worth of food for those suffering from hunger (July 2021- June 2022)
- Helped provide 17,094 congregate meals to our Seniors
- Helped provide 731 cans of formula for babies within low income households. This is an increase of nearly 50% over 2021.
4 Simple Ways You and/or Your Organization Can Help
Click here for a list of the Top Ten Needed Items
- We are currently encouraging monetary donations as the number one way to contribute. Your gift allows you to double the impact of your donation because Buyers Products Company in Mentor is matching all gifts up to a maximum of $25,000 in total donations now through April 30, 2023! 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.
- Organize a Monetary Fundraiser or Food Drive at your organization 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.
- Participate in our "Philanthropic Pantry Purge!" 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 440-639-1203 or email dwhittaker@uwlc.org
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*Source: Gundersen, C., Strayer, M., Dewey, A., Hake, M., & Engelhard, E. (2022). Map the Meal Gap 2022
**Source: ALICE in Ohio 2020 Report - United Way ALICE & Poverty in Ohio in 2019