NC State Fair offers free entry Thursday with food donation for hunger relief

WRAL reported that people attending the North Carolina State Fair on Thursday can gain free entry by bringing six cans or packages of non-perishable food items. This event, known as Hunger Relief Day, is part of an effort to assist the more than 600,000 people facing food insecurity across 34 counties in central and eastern North Carolina, according to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

Hunger Relief Day, formerly called "can day," is one of the fair's most popular days and has grown into one of the largest single-day food drives in the state. Since its inception in 1993, fairgoers have donated over 6 million pounds of food to the food bank and its more than 700 community partners, which has been converted into 5.7 million meals.

Amy Beros, president of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, highlighted the increasing need for such donations. She noted that these meals provide relief for families and seniors who face difficult choices between buying food and other essentials like medication.