Wednesday, October 18, 2017
By: Governor Mary Fallin
The holiday season is right around the corner, and Oklahomans are preparing to spend time with their family and count God’s blessings. For many of us that means enjoying large, home-cooked meals.
This year as we plan for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, I am asking all Oklahomans to remember the approximately 632,000 people in the state who face hunger daily.
Oklahoma is one of the hungriest states in the nation, with one in six residents with inconsistent access to food. The majority of clients served by the Oklahoma Food Banks are chronically hungry children, seniors living on fixed incomes and hardworking families struggling to put food on the table.
All Oklahomans can do their part to help by making food and financial donations to fight hunger in the state. The drive runs through Oct. 31 and benefits the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, and their partner agencies across the state.
To participate in the drive, visit feedingoklahoma.org or email feedingoklahoma@regionalfoodbank.org. Every dollar donated will provide the equivalent of five meals for Oklahomans for our neighbors in need of our help. Food donations will stay local to help fight hunger in communities across Oklahoma.
Non-perishable food items may also be donated at select BancFirst locations, Bob Moore Auto Group locations, the Community Food Bank and the Regional Food Bank. Most-needed items include: canned meat, canned vegetables, canned fruits, canned tuna, peanut butter, and rice and beans.
Feeding Oklahoma is presented by: Chickasaw Nation, Devon Energy, ONEOK and Walmart. Additional sponsors include: Dolese Bros. Co, Bob Moore Auto Group, ConocoPhillips, Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, Homeland, INTEGRIS Health, Lopez Foods, Love's Travel Stops, Nadel and Gussman Energy and The Boeing Company.
The Feeding Oklahoma Food Drive has been an enormous success. I am confident this year will be no different.