Buyers Products Company Matching up to $25,000 in Monetary Gifts Made to United Way of Lake County’s Feed Lake County Fundraiser
March 23, 2023 – Mentor, OH – Buyers Products Company, headquartered in Mentor, is supporting United Way of Lake County’s (UWLC) 31st annual Feed Lake County Fundraiser with a $25,000 corporate match. The organization will be matching all monetary gifts UWLC receives up to a maximum of $25,000 in total donations now through April 30, 2023.
United Way of Lake County (UWLC) kicked off their annual Feed Lake County Food Drive and Fundraiser on March 6, 2023, and it will run through the end of April. The organization is in need of local businesses and residents to help by running food drives and monetary fundraisers.
“This year’s food drive and fundraiser is especially important given the level of need in our community. We work with approximately 35 local food pantries and during our most recent meeting they told us that the need for food continues to increase and they only see it continuing to grow,” said UWLC President and CEO Dione DeMitro.
As explained by Leah Reese, Service Coordinator at the Wickliffe Family Resource Center, “Record high food prices combined with inflation are making it challenging for even the working poor and middle class, who do not qualify for federal nutrition programs, to put food on the table. And with the February end of the monthly emergency SNAP payments put in place in response to the pandemic, our residents are struggling with hunger in a way we have never before seen.”
Based on the most recent 2020 data from Feeding America:
- 25,840 Lake County residents are estimated to be living with food insecurity. This is 11.2% of the population, which equates to 1 in 9 residents.
- 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.
- The annual food budget shortfall in Lake County is $14,221,000.
Pre-inflation, nearly one-third of Lake County households struggled to afford basic needs. This includes the 7% who live in poverty along with the working poor, who make up a stark 23%.
The Buyers Products Company match essentially works to double the impact of the gifts UWLC receives. “This is the second consecutive year Buyers Products has stepped up in a big way to give back to our community. We are extremely grateful for their compassion and generosity,” said DeMitro.
Below are several ways residents and organization 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’ 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/give, 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. Most needed items include canned meats (tuna, chicken, ham, spam); breakfast foods including pancake mix, syrup, and cereal; self-stable milk (powdered milk); canned chili and stew; canned fruits and vegetables; spaghetti sauce and pasta; canned pasta with meat sauce; peanut butter and jelly; and canned and boxed soup.
- Participate in UWLC’s “Philanthropic Pantry Purge” by clearing your pantry, cabinets, and cupboards of excess non-perishable food to donate. A list of food drop-off locations can be found at uwlc.org/food-drop-locations-2023.
Complete details on how you can help can be found at uwlc.org/feed-lake-county.
The food collected during the Feed Lake County campaign will be distributed to approximately 35 Lake County food pantries in May. All monetary gifts will be used to make food purchases throughout the year to help restock food bank shelves.
Last year UWLC provided Lake County food pantries with nearly $110,000 in food due to the generosity of the community. An additional 17,094 meals were provided to seniors via congregate meals, and 731 cans of formula were provided for babies of low-income households. “Our hope is that we can surpass those numbers this year so we can help those in need in Lake County,” said DeMitro.