Food Truck Rodeo aims to find a new way to combat hunger in downtown Raleigh

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- As the cost of living goes up in the Triangle, more people find themselves unsure of when their next meal is.

The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina estimated that one in nine people is food insecure in the region, and one in seven children is facing hunger.

"It's a problem, and we've got to address it," Maggie Kane, founder and executive director of A Place at the Table, said.

Food insecurity is also becoming more prevalent among those experiencing homelessness, she noted.

Founded in 2018, A Place at the Table is a pay-what-you-can café in downtown Raleigh. Kane said the goal is to allow everyone to dine together, no matter their means.

"All of our prices are suggested, so people can choose to pay the price. They can pay more and pay it forward. They can pay less. They can pay by volunteering with us," she said. "We also feed families for free."

Finding power in that concept, Kane expanded her efforts to a larger annual event called The Food Truck Rodeo. Everyone is welcome, and there is no cash involved.

"Everyone is using the same currency, a ticket, and no one knows who paid," she said. "We're all together. We're eating together at community tables. It's just really, really special."

Hundreds of people showed up to this year's event in Raleigh on Sunday -- a much larger turnout than expected.

Kane said it showed the community cares and is excited to be a part of combating food insecurity.

"We've had tons of people pay it forward, online and support it," she added.

If you want to learn more about how to get involved with A Place at the Table, click here.

ABC11 is working to fight hunger as we enter the summer months, as children don't have the same access to meals as they do during the school year. To learn more about the Stop Summer Hunger campaign, click here.