Mentor High School kicked off United Way's Feed Lake County Drive by collecting more than 11,000 pounds of food for people who need it.

The students capped their weeklong food drive by packing up their donation and shipping them out Friday.

United Way of Lake County's annual collection effort continues through April 26 and will help fill cupboards for 51 area food banks.

The Mentor middle and elementary schools also participate in Feed Lake County. Mentor Schools traditionally holds some of the biggest food drives in the county, collecting more than 40,000 pounds of food per year, according to Kristin Kozar of the United Way of Lake County.

The high school alone collected 11,492 pounds of food, said Gayle Sikula of the United Way of Lake County. The food was taken to a warehouse, the use of which was donated by the Great Harvest Bread Company.

Kozar said that donations are as needed as they have ever been.

More than 6,000 people used the food pantries in Lake County and between 700 and 1,100 people needed help on a weekly basis. County food pantries reported to the United Way that they see 10 to 20 new visitors each week.

The most-requested items are soups, canned fruits and vegetables, tuna fish and other canned meats, macaroni and cheese and other boxed meals, beef stew or other ready meals, peanut butter and jelly, pasta and sauce, cereals and breakfast foods, toilet tissue and other personal care items.

If you are interested in hosting a food drive, you can contact Hope Swank at 440-639-1153 or through email at hswank@uwlc.org.