Food Lion Feeds Hunger Relief Day to Be Held at N.C. State Fair Oct. 19

5 Cans of Food = Free Admission

RALEIGH, N.C. -- For the 14th consecutive year, on Thursday, October 19, as part of Food Lion Feeds Hunger Relief Day, those attending the N.C. State Fair will have the opportunity to receive free admission into the fair with a donation of five cans of Food Lion brand items to benefit the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina (the Food Bank) and its sister food banks around the state.

Since 1993, approximately 5 million pounds of food has been collected at the N.C. State Fair. Food Lion Feeds Hunger Relief Day is part of the grocer’s commitment to provide 500 million meals to individuals and families in need by the end of 2020.

More than 400 volunteers work each gate at the fair to collect donations throughout the day. Last year fairgoers donated more than 200,000 meals or 240,000 pounds of food. The goal for this year’s Food Lion Feeds Hunger Relief Day is to raise 210,000 meals, or 250,000 pounds of food. However, Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler has issued a challenge to the community to raise even more food for our hungry neighbors.

If this year’s goal is met, the N.C. State Fair will donate $1,000 to the Food Bank. If donations reach 275,000 pounds, the Fair will donate $2,500. Should donations total 300,000 pounds or more, $5,000 will be donated.

The Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC distributes food to nearly more than 630,000 individuals in their 34-county service area who live in food insecure households and struggle to access nutritious and adequate amounts of food necessary for an active and healthy life.

Based in Raleigh, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina serves 34 counties in the central and eastern part of the state through six warehouses in Durham, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, Southern Pines and Wilmington and is one of seven Feeding America food banks in the state.