Our Statement on USDA Elimination of Vital Hunger Data

The 2026 State Fair may have come to a close, but it's not too late to make a difference for Hunger Relief Day!

Fairgoers have donated enough food to fuel 170,000+ meals so far — and every $10 donated online boosts that number by 30 meals. It only takes two minutes to get involved:

Right now, more than 630,000 people face hunger in our region. And as grocery prices rise and federal support becomes harder to come by, community support during Hunger Relief Day is more important than ever.

Each year, thousands of people from across the state choose Hunger Relief Day as their time to attend the fair, donating non-perishable food in exchange for admission. The event is the largest single-day food drive in the state — providing nearly  six million meals to area families so far (and growing every year!) 

Politicians in Washington voted to slash the federal safety nets that help millions of people in North Carolina afford food and medicine. They know their decisions will worsen our hunger crisis, and now they're attempting to hide the evidence by eliminating impact data that has been available to the public for decades.

Administrative changes at the USDA can't erase the reality our communities face every day: the price of groceries remains out of reach for far too many families — and more people are seeking food assistance today than any point in the past 20 years.

Our hunger relief network relies on this data to target resources where they're needed most, especially in rural communities where services are more difficult to access. The General Assembly and state agencies need reliable data to make smart investments in the most effective programs. This information takes even greater importance when tight budgets require tough decisions — and there are no shortage of difficult fiscal discussions underway right now.

We need our Members of Congress to understand the impact this irresponsible decision will have on  kids, seniors, and people with disabilities across North Carolina. It's incredibly important that we all make our voices heard and urge elected leaders to restore vital hunger data.

– Jason Kanawati Stephany Food Bank Vice President