Three County Fair Drive-thru Food Drive on March 26 to Benefit Local Food Pantries
NORTHAMPTON — The Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Agricultural Society, the nonprofit organization that manages the Three County Fair, the oldest ongoing agricultural fair in the country, will conduct a drive-thru food drive on Saturday, March 26 outside its main office at 54 Fair St. in Northampton. The fair held its last food drive in the spring of 2020 during the onset of the pandemic and delivered more than 2,000 pounds of food to area pantries.
The fair is seeking non-perishable foods such as canned fruit, soup, tuna, and vegetables, plus cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, and peanut butter for area food pantries that have partnered with the fair, including the Easthampton Community Center, the Franklin County Meals Program, the Helping Hands Cupboard Food Pantry at BOCC in Belchertown, and the Westhampton Congregational United Church of Christ food pantry.
“The pandemic created food insecurity for many families for the first time and increased the need for others,” said Gerry Devine, a member of the society’s board of directors. “Because of the continued hardship of so many, the success of our last food drive, and the extreme generosity of our community willing to help their neighbors, we are proud to once again provide this service.”
Each vehicle that donates will be supplied with a pair of complimentary tickets to the 2022 Three County Fair, scheduled for Sept. 2-5. Donations can be dropped off at the fair’s main office at 54 Fair St. in Northampton between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The fair requests that donations be compiled in disposable bags or boxes for volunteers to easily accept them from vehicles.
