Food Bank of Central & Eastern NC Announces Total Donations from Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day
State’s largest single-day food drive nets enough food to provide 150,000 meals
RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the fifth year in a row, Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day at the N.C. State Fair generated an outpouring of support for The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina (the Food Bank) to help fight hunger in the state.
On Thursday, Oct. 23, fairgoers from across North Carolina donated six cans of food in exchange for free admission. Thanks to their generosity, the event raised the equivalent of 150,000 meals or 16 truckloads of food for those facing hunger in North Carolina.
Communities across North Carolina are facing the worst hunger crisis in a generation. More than 1.6 million people in North Carolina — 1 in 7 of our neighbors — don’t know where their next meal might come from.
Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day supports hundreds of local food pantries and meal sites across the Food Bank network with many of the most in-demand items. Partner agencies look forward to receiving the food from the fair each year and it will be a timely boost to their efforts right now.
“Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day is a meaningful tradition that brings North Carolinians together to support our neighbors facing food insecurity,” said Kraig Westerbeek, president of hog production for Smithfield Foods. “Through our long-standing partnership with the N.C. State Fair and the Food Bank, we are honored to do our part to help ensure families across the state have access to healthy, nutritious food.”
“We’re deeply grateful to Smithfield Foods and the N.C. State Fair for their continued partnership and commitment to fighting hunger in our community,” said Amy Beros, president & CEO of the Food Bank. “At a time when hunger is at an all-time high and more families are facing uncertainty about where their next meal will come from, partnerships like this remind us of what’s possible when we work together.”
“We have always gotten our food from food drives. We‘ve been around for 40 years, and we’ve never done a fundraiser. It’s all grassroots. It’s all based on good hearts and understanding that we are our neighbors’ helpers,” said Roxann Lansdowne, executive director of Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard in Wilmington, North Carolina. “The best thing people should do is remember that no one should go away hungry.”
The N.C. State Fair’s Hunger Relief Day has now raised more than 6.7 million pounds since its inception in 1993.
Smithfield’s hunger relief program, Helping Hungry Homes®, has provided hundreds of millions of servings of protein in all 50 U.S. states since 2008. Smithfield donated more than 25 million servings of protein, valued at nearly $28 million, to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs across the U.S. in 2024.
For more information and opportunities to get involved, click here.
About the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina
Among the largest anti-hunger organizations in the United States, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina works every day to provide food to people in need while advancing long-term solutions to end hunger in our communities. The Food Bank and our Branch locations serve as the central hub of a network of 700+ partner programs throughout our 34-county region — including no-cost food markets, pantries, meal sites, and a host of initiatives serving children, adults, and seniors. Together, we’re working to overcome hunger and create an environment where everyone in North Carolina can thrive. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods (Nasdaq: SFD) is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. With a diverse brand portfolio and strong relationships with U.S. farmers and customers, we responsibly meet demand for quality protein around the world.
Contacts: Jennifer Caslin, jcaslin@foodbankcenc.org, 910-508-0547
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3848a532-7342-4f21-9644-4d00e55ad30c
