United Way of Lake County: Meeting the Moment When Our Community Needed It Most

United Way of Lake County: Meeting the Moment When Our Community Needed It Most

When SNAP benefits were disrupted beginning this past November, uncertainty rippled through households across our community. Families, seniors, and individuals already living on the edge suddenly faced impossible choices. In that moment, our organization was entrusted with an incredible responsibility—and opportunity—to respond.

Thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Cleveland Foundation and an $18,700 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Lake County Commissioners Office, we were able to act quickly to ensure our most vulnerable residents did not go without food during this critical time.

Immediate Support, Real Impact

Our first priority was reaching those most at risk. Within days, we mobilized staff and volunteers to distribute food where it was needed most:

  • 100 care packages were provided to families connected to Lake-Geauga Headstart’s Painesville location.
  • 120 care packages were provided to clients of Lifeline, Inc. as they applied for HEAP benefits.
  • Over 75 seniors living in subsidized housing received care packages delivered directly to their homes.
  • Several hundred pounds of food supported the men’s halfway house at Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers.
  • $18,700 was used to purchase food, toiletries, and taxable items that we distributed to:
    • Birthright Lake County
    • The Salvation Army Corps Community Center
    • HOLA Ohio
    • Forbes House
    • Fairport Exempted Village Schools
    • Lifeline, Inc. Lake County
    • Project Hope for the Homeless
    • And the food banks of:
      • Calvary CME Church
      • St. James Church Hot Meal Program
      • St. Anthony of Padua Church in Fairport Harbor
      • St. John Baptist Church

Each package represented more than food—it was reassurance that our community had not forgotten them.

A Community Comes Together: Pop-Up Food Distribution

On Thursday, November 13, we partnered with Auburn Career Center, Mentor Public Schools, and All Contractors Supply to host a Pop-Up Food Distribution from 5 pm – 7 pm at the Rise Commercial District in Mentor. The distribution was open to anyone in need, and together, we packed and distributed:

  • 14,000 pounds of fresh produce
  • 500 family kits of nonperishable food

The response was overwhelming. That day, 359 cars came through the distribution, representing:

  • 532 children under 17
  • 574 adults ages 18–59
  • 127 adults age 60+

We also delivered fresh produce to Project Hope for the Homeless, Forbes House, and local seniors. For many families, this distribution provided food that carried them through weeks of uncertainty.

Thanksgiving: A Tradition of Care

Even amid the challenges of November, we remained committed to one of our most meaningful traditions—our annual Thanksgiving food distribution, held on Thursday, November 20.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors and partners, we distributed a total of 928 turkeys to Lake County food pantries across the county for the families they serve. While we purchased 500 of these turkeys, 428 were generously donated as follows:

  • 200 from Buyers Products Company
  • 99 from PCC Airfoils in Mentor
  • 62 from Aexcel Corporation
  • 32 from Ranpak
  • 22 from Mentor Nissan and Beachwood Nissan
  • 8 from individual donors

In addition to turkeys, we also distributed all the traditional holiday fixings—mashed potatoes, yams, stuffing, green beans, turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, and brownie mix—ensuring that those in need could enjoy a complete Thanksgiving meal.

Matt Mormile and his team from the Mormile Agency volunteered alongside members of Teen Challenge, helping load food into vehicles.

Recipients included the following 34 agencies and church food pantries:

  • Calvary C.M.E. Church
  • Eastlake Kiwanis Food Pantry
  • First United Church of Christ
  • HOLA Ohio
  • Lake Erie Church of God
  • Lake-Geauga Recovery Centers
  • Little Annie's Hope Train
  • Men of Honor
  • Mentor Plains United Methodist Church
  • Mentor United Methodist Church
  • Miracle Revival Church
  • Old South Church Food Pantry
  • Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
  • Painesville Church of the Nazarene
  • Painesville United Methodist
  • Perry Food Center
  • St. Andrews Episcopal Church
  • St. Anthony of Padua Church
  • St. Bede Church
  • St. Gabriel Church
  • St. James Lunch Program
  • St. John the Baptist Church
  • St. John Vianney Church
  • St. Mary Magdalene Church
  • St. Mary's Church, Painesville
  • St. Noel’s Church
  • Teen Challenge
  • The Salvation Army
  • Victory Lane Church
  • Vineyard Community Church
  • Willoughby United Methodist Church
  • Willow Praise/ Connection Meal
  • Willowick Food Pantry
  • Zion Food Pantry

Gratitude and Hope

None of this would have been possible without the trust of our funders, the generosity of our donors, and the dedication of our partners and volunteers. In a month filled with uncertainty, the support we received helped bring stability, dignity, and hope to thousands of our neighbors.

Together, we didn’t just respond to a crisis—we showed what a caring, connected community can accomplish.