United Way of Lake County Seeks Community Support for 34th Annual Feed Lake County Food Drive & Fundraiser
Buyers Products Company Matching All Monetary Gifts Through March 31
March 10, 2026 – Mentor, OH – United Way of Lake County’s (UWLC) 34th annual Feed Lake County Food Drive and Fundraiser is underway, and they are calling on local residents, businesses, and organizations to help ensure families, children, and seniors have access to food.
Buyers Products Company, headquartered in Mentor, is supporting the campaign by matching all monetary gifts, up to $25,000 in total donations, through March 31, 2026. Every dollar donated will be doubled, making an even greater impact for those in need.
“Across Lake County, more families are struggling to put food on the table,” said UWLC President & CEO Dione DeMitro. “In 2025, residents searching for food or meals made up 22% of all inquiries to Lifeline’s 2-1-1 help referral center, second only to inquiries received for shelter and housing. Even more concerning, 76% of these requests came from individuals aged 60 and older. We are calling on our community to step up and become Hunger Heroes to support our local neighbors in need.”
According to Feeding America’s most recent data from 2023:
- 31,190 (13.4%) Lake County residents – 13.4% are experiencing food insecurity, a 7% increase over the previous year and a 37% increase since 2021.
- 7,350 children in Lake County — 16.2% — are food insecure, a 46% increase since 2021.
- Nationally, 9.2% of seniors face food insecurity, but local demand shows the crisis is acutely felt among older adults in our community.
Behind every statistic is a neighbor forced to make impossible choices between groceries, rent, medication, and utilities. UWLC’s Feed Lake County campaign works to help ensure that children, seniors, individuals, and families can access the food they need to stave off hunger.
What food insecurity looks like for those suffering:
- Not knowing where their next meal is coming from.
- Skipping meals so the kids can eat.
- Watering down milk or stretching food to make it last.
- Choosing between buying food and paying a utility bill(s).
- Running out of food before their next paycheck.
Below are several ways residents, businesses, and organizations can help.
- UWLC is encouraging monetary donations as the best way to help. Not only is the dollar amount of one’s donation doubled due to Buyers Products Company’s match, but monetary donations allow the organization to meet the specific unmet needs of the food pantries. Those in a position to help can make a donation online at uwlc.org/feed-lake-county, by calling 440-639-1291, or by mailing a check payable to United Way of Lake County to 9285 Progress Parkway, Mentor, OH 44060, ATT: FLC.
- Organize a food drive or monetary fundraiser 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 UWLC at 440.639.1203 or via email at dwhittaker@uwlc.org.
- Donate non-perishable food. To drop off donations or to make pick-up arrangements, call 440.639.1203 or email dwhittaker@uwlc.org. Beyond funds, the top most needed items include cereal, canned tuna/chicken/meat, pasta and sauce, peanut butter and jelly, mac ‘n cheese, canned vegetables, canned soup/stew/chili, canned fruit, shelf stable milk (powdered), boxed potatoes and meals, and pancake mix & syrup.
- Participate in UWLC’s “Philanthropic Pantry Purge” by clearing your pantry, cabinets, and cupboards of excess non-perishable food to donate.
Complete details on how individuals and organizations can help can be found at uwlc.org/feed-lake-county.
The food collected during the Feed Lake County initiative will be distributed to approximately 40 Lake County food pantries on a regular basis to help ensure their shelves remain stocked. All monetary gifts will be used to make food purchases throughout the year to aid in replenishing the shelves of the food banks. The first food distribution will take place in June.
UWLC now accepts donations throughout the year to help fight food insecurity.
During their most recent fiscal year, UWLC provided Lake County food pantries with nearly $121,000 in food due to the generosity of the community. An additional 2,022 cans of formula were provided for babies of low-income households.