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Features
- Hunger in Lake County: A Growing Crisis
- How You Can Help During our 33rd Annual Feed Lake County Food Drive & Fundraiser
- Honoring Lake County's Best & Brightest: 4 Under 40 Award Winners Recognized January 23rd
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News & Notes
- Enter to WIN $2,500 Cavs Package
- Celebrity Server: March 13th
- Day of Caring: June 18th
- Two Exciting Raffles: Win $10,000 Cash and/or a Lifetime of Salon Services
- Small Business United
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Step Up For Hunger Relief Now During our 33rd Annual Feed Lake County Food Drive & Fundraiser. | |
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(click above flyer for a full copy to save or share)
Will You Help Nourish our Friends and Neighbors in Need?
Every day, families in Lake County struggle to put food on the table. Seniors choose between paying for prescriptions or buying groceries. Parents work multiple jobs but still come up short at the checkout line. And children go to bed hungry because there’s simply not enough to go around.
Food insecurity is a heartbreaking reality for thousands of our neighbors, and the need has never been greater. At United Way of Lake County (UWLC), we are relying on your help to make a difference now during our 33rd annual Feed Lake County Food Drive & Fundraiser.
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A Growing Crisis
Food prices have surged by 25% since 2020, making it harder than ever for families to afford groceries.
In Lake County alone, an estimated 29,150 residents (12.6%) are food insecure—a 28% increase over the prior year. Even more alarming, 7,140 local children (15.7%) face food insecurity, a staggering 42% increase over the prior year. And seniors, many of whom live on fixed incomes, are struggling at unprecedented rates.
Lifeline’s UWLC funded 2-1-1 help referral service received 5,538 inquiries for food last year, a 69% increase from 2021 where 3,285 inquiries were received.
ALICE is a United Way coined term that stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. It refers to individuals and families who work hard, often holding down two and three jobs, but still struggle to make ends meet due to low wages, high costs of living, and limited access to resources.
Furthermore, ALICE households may not qualify for traditional forms of assistance and face significant financial instability and difficulty covering basic needs such as housing, childcare, healthcare, and food.
ALICE research reveals that 36% of Lake County households struggle to afford basic needs. This includes the 25% who fall within the ALICE threshold and the 11% who live in poverty.
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The good news? You can be a part of the solution. Buyers Products Company is generously matching all monetary gifts up to a maximum of $25,000 in total donations now through March 31st, doubling the impact of every dollar you give. Here’s are several ways you can help:
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Donate Funds: Your gift will stretch even further thanks to the Buyers Products match. Donate online at uwlc.org/give, call 440-639-1291, or mail a check payable to United Way of Lake County to 9285 Progress Parkway, Mentor, OH 44060, Att: FLC.
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Organize a Food or Fundraising Drive: Schools, businesses, and community groups can make a huge impact by collecting food and/or funds. To sign up, call 440-639-1203 or email dwhittaker@uwlc.org.
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Donate Non-Perishable Food: The most needed items can be found here. These include cereal, peanut butter, canned meats, pasta & sauce, and baby formula. To drop off donations or arrange for pickup call 440-639-1203.
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Join our “Philanthropic Pantry Purge": Clean out your pantry of unexpired, non-perishable items and donate them to us to feed those in need.
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Honoring Lake County's Best & Brightest:
2024 "4 Under 40" Award Winners Recognized January 23rd
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Left to right: Lake County Commissioner Morris Beverage III, Honoree Kathryn Baden, Honoree Rochelle Fowler, Emerging Leaders' Chair Brad Shimko, Honoree Kerry Jonke, Honoree Francisco Veloz Vela, UWLC President & CEO Dione DeMitro. | |
Honorees (from left): Kathryn Baden, Rochelle Fowler, Kerry Jonke, Francisco Veloz Vela. | |
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At United Way of Lake County, we believe in celebrating those who go above and beyond to make a difference in our community. That’s why we were thrilled to honor the recipients of our 2024 Emerging Leaders "4 Under 40" Awards during a special evening of recognition on January 23rd at The Everly in Mentor.
Nearly 150 guests gathered to celebrate four exceptional young professionals who are making a meaningful impact through their leadership, community involvement, entrepreneurship, and professional accomplishments. This year’s honorees included:
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Kathryn Baden, CEO of Olympus Aerospace
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Rochelle Fowler, Process Specialist at The Lubrizol Corporation
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Kerry Jonke, Manager of Customer Experience at Laketran
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Francisco Veloz Vela, President of Veloz Landscape & Nursery
Each of these outstanding individuals is not only excelling in their careers but also giving back in ways that strengthen and uplift Lake County. As our President & CEO, Dione DeMitro, shared during the event, “Those honored here tonight are making a significant difference, not just in their careers, but in the lives of those around them right here in Lake County. Through their efforts and volunteerism, they inspire others and make our community a better place for all.”
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The evening was filled with inspiring stories, memorable moments, and a shared sense of pride in the future leaders of our community. To further recognize their achievements, our award winners received special proclamations from Katie Burger on behalf of the Office of Congressman Dave Joyce and from Lake County Commissioner Morris Beverage III.
We are grateful to our Presenting Sponsor, Olympus Aerospace, and to all of our event sponsors who made this celebration possible: Avery Dennison, Fredon Corporation, Griffin Technology Group, Mentor Nissan, Lighthouse Advisers, Veloz Landscaping & Nursery, Tec. Inc. Engineering & Design, and TWO MEN & A TRUCK.
We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us to honor these remarkable individuals. The "4 Under 40" Awards are a testament to the power of young professionals who are dedicated to shaping a brighter future for Lake County.
If you or someone you know is interested in making an impact, we invite you to join our Emerging Leaders group. Learn more about how you can get involved here.
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Enter to WIN this $2,500 Cavs Package!
Only 300 Raffle Tickets Available = Great Odds of Winning!
Act now - Fewer than 120 tickets remain!
Click here to get your raffle ticket(s) now at for a chance to win:
- FOUR (4) Tickets to the Cavs vs. Orlando Magic game on Sunday, March 16th at 6 pm!
- Baseline Box Seats: Section F13, Seats 1-4!
- Access to the Litehouse Chairman’s Club: Enjoy all-inclusive food, beer, wine & soft drinks!
All proceeds benefit our Lake County friends and neighbors in need. Don’t miss out—secure your raffle tickets now!
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Celebrity Server Fundraiser - Thursday, March 13th!
Join us in Sham-Rocking the House for our Friends & Neighbors in Need.
Register now to join us on March 13th at the American-Croatian Lodge in Eastlake for our annual Irish-themed Celebrity Server Fundraiser where we look forward to Sham-Rocking the House with a mouthwatering corned beef and cabbage lunch with all the fixings, a decadent Table O'Sweets, exciting games, a 50/50 raffle, fantastic raffle prizes, and much more!
We are still on the lookout for Hearts of Gold to:
- Volunteer as Celebrity Servers!
- Sponsor the event and support our impactful work!
- Donate prizes!
Will you lend a hand? Please email us at friends@uwlc.org today!
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Our 33rd Annual Day of Caring - Wednesday, June 18th! Project Submissions & Volunteers Currently Being Accepted.
We are currently accepting project submissions from Lake County nonprofits for undertakings such as cleaning, sorting, inside and outside painting, weeding, hedge trimming, power washing, mulch spreading, flower planting, social hosting (picnics, ice cream socials, game days, etc) for kids and seniors, and more.
We are also looking for volunteers from local organizations, groups, and individuals to select from and "adopt" project submissions.
Interested in submitting a project or volunteering? Contact David Whittaker at dwhittaker@uwlc.org or call 440-639-1203.
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Two Exciting Raffles: Enter Now for a Chance to Win $10,000 Cash and/or a Lifetime of FREE Monthly Services from Ladies & Gentlemen Salon and Spa (Mentor & Lyndhurst)!
Our friends at Mentor Nissan and Ladies & Gentlemen Salon and Spa (located in Mentor and Legacy Village in Lyndhurst) believe in our mission and have gifted us with these amazing raffle prizes! All proceeds will benefit Lake County's most vulnerable residents through our Community Impact Fund.
Enter to Win $10,000 Cash Compliments of Mentor Nissan!
AND/OR
Enter to Win One Free Service Per Month FOR LIFE Compliments of Ladies & Gentlemen Salon and Spa!
One lucky winner will receive one free service per month for Life! Services include Hair Cuts & Styling, Formal Styling, Manicures, Pedicures, Facials, Relaxation Massages, and Men's Cuts. The prize is non-transferable. You must be 18 years or older to purchase entries.
Complete contest rules are available at uwlc.org/salon.
Get your raffle entry tickets here now!
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Small Business United (SBU)
Join the Movement
Small business owners know that a strong, healthy community is good for business. These same owners also understand the importance of giving back and keeping local dollars local, which is where our Small Business United (SBU) membership comes in. All funds raised in Lake County from this membership, stay in Lake County, helping our local friends and neighbors in need. If you are a small business owner interested in a simple, budget-friendly way to give back, then this may be just the program for you!
Learn more about our SBU program now!
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