Lake County, OH – With the need for food increasing throughout the community combined with a dramatic decrease in donations to Feed Lake County, United Way of Lake County is holding a last effort to increase donations to the nonprofit organization’s annual spring food drive.

Laketran will kick-off the Fill-the-Bus food drive on Friday, April 27, by collecting non-perishable food items on-board all Laketran buses from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and at the Laketran Headquarters, located at 555 Lakeshore Blvd. in Painesville Township, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Laketran and City of Willoughby are partnering with United Way of Lake County with a goal to Fill-a-Bus in the parking lot outside of Willoughby City Hall (1 Public Square, Willoughby, OH) on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon during the city’s Eco-Flea Market day and United Way of Lake County is encouraging residents to bring food items to FILL THAT BUS. Individuals who donate food items Saturday will be entered into a WELW raffle that consists of prizes for restaurant certificates and tickets to the movies and Captains games.

“Laketran is glad we can raise awareness and join in the solution for Feed Lake County. With over 100 buses and 600 bus stops around Lake County, there should be no excuse not to donate,” suggests Julia Schick, Laketran’s director of marketing. “Laketran buses run hourly to downtown Painesville, Great Lakes Mall, Lakeland College, Classic Park, Shoregate Shopping Center and the Shops of Willoughby Hills. Laketran bus riders, employees and residents can donate by simply handing food donations to a driver.”

According to United Way, both the pounds of food and the money raised for this year’s Feed Lake County have fallen short of expectations and United Way is hoping that the community will once again come together before Monday’s distribution to help increase food or money donations.

Local food pantries continue to see an increase in clients who are in need of food as 2-1-1 reported more than 4,200 requests for food in 2012, which was up from 3,600 calls in 2011. From January of this year to March, there have been 865 calls for food, which is up from 516 calls between January and March of 2012.

Feed Lake County usually raises about 50,000 pounds of food and $50,000 in donations each campaign. The food is distributed to more than 50 local food pantries. The donated dollars buy food throughout the year including two major purchases in September and December.

“Feed Lake County is important to filling many pantries in Lake County who continue to have increased requests from families with children and senior citizens,” said Gayle Sikula, United Way of Lake County’s Feed Lake County Coordinator. “Hunger is very real in our community and as citizens; we can do something about it by simply sharing a can of food. That donated can of food will end up on a hungry family’s table.”

Items needed are canned veggies, canned fruit, canned meat, boxed meals, pasta and sauce, peanut butter, soups, breakfast items and personal items such as soap, toothpaste, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc. Paper goods such as toilet paper are also accepted while monetary donations will be used to purchase food.

If you’d like to contribute to Feed Lake County but cannot make it on Saturday, contact Gayle Sikula at 440.639.1082. Monetary donations can be mailed to United Way of Lake County, 9285 Progress Parkway, Mentor, OH.