Food News

The Lake County food pantries are seeing bustling activity in 2023 as donation drives and campaigns cycle to help the residents and organizations in need. The demand continues to rise as the weather keeps on getting colder.

Emily Walker from Painesville United Methodist Church Food Pantry said, “We do always see an increase in clients in the winter months not only for those whose jobs in fields such as construction are impacted but also because many businesses reduce employee hours after the holidays. And, there’s also the simple fact that heat and electricity costs rise in winter, particularly for those in homes that are poorly insulated or in need of expensive repairs. And, unfortunately, an impactful trend we see is the increasing strain caused by higher rents, utilities, and taxable goods on families with limited incomes, which has caused many to seek help for the first time in their lives.”

Besides this, Walker also revealed that food pantries in the area continue to see greater needs and fewer donations. To overcome this, the food pantry started using some of its donations to buy desperately needed things such as paper towels, cleaning supplies, and toilet paper for which Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits cannot be used.

The people visiting the food pantry for the first time need to bring identification showing their zip code. The food pantry also has other ways to serve the ones without a proper street address. On average, the food pantry has managed to serve around 700 clients. What the food pantry gives depends on what it receives.

Walker said, “Everyone gets certain basics, but we also may receive items that may appeal to only a few or which help in different ways. That explains things like a large assortment of jigsaw puzzles that can be either kept or borrowed and returned. Our area is blessed with many groups who reach out to those in need and we all hope to continue to help as long as there is a need for our services.”

Like other food pantries, Painesville United Methodist keeps on addressing and fighting misconceptions about the populations provided for.

Due to high food prices and the end of the school year when students do not have access to breakfast and lunches, there has been an increase in need.

According to the research conducted, it is revealed that 11.2% of Lake County residents are living with food insecurity. Nearly one-third of residents struggle to afford even the basic needs.