The 2021 Texas State Fair was a massive success, receiving 2.2 million visitors, and as can be expected there was a good deal of excess food and drink from concession stands and food vendors, much of which is being donated back to the community. A Fox 4 DFW article from October 19 reports,
“Some of the fair’s food and drink vendors gave what they had left to the State Fair Cares Initiative.
Items used in fried treats like flour, peanut butter, fruits, and vegetables are all staples needed by local food pantries.
This was the sixth year for the State Fair Cares Initiative.”
Several community organizations which focus on the people and families affected by the pandemic will be the recipient of the said food and drinks according to an NBC 5 DFW article from October 18 which reports,
“This year, seven community organizations in the Fair Park neighborhood were the beneficiaries. Many of them have increased needs since the start of the pandemic.
“We’re not only feeding the homeless,” Rev. Andra Johnson of Cornerstone Baptist Church of Dallas said. “We’re also feeding families and different individuals that lost income during this time, lost jobs.”
“We feed people 24 days out of the year for a profit, for money as a business, but now we’re doing it out of the goodness of our hearts and just trying to help them out,” Erpillo said. “And we’re seeing, like, tangible results of what we can do when we all band together to help the people in Dallas.”
The Texas State Fair was indeed a big success for all involved as organizers were able to achieve their target, fairgoers were able to take a breather amidst the pandemic and those in need were not forgotten.
