Governor Fallin’s ninth annual Feeding Oklahoma Drive kicked off Monday with the goal of raising enough food and funds to provide 2 million meals to families, children and seniors living with hunger in Oklahoma. The month-long drive benefits the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and their partner agencies across the state.
“While many of us can’t imagine not knowing where our next meal is coming from, it’s a reality for thousands of people in our state,” said Fallin. “This drive is an opportunity for all Oklahomans to come together and donate food and funds to ensure our neighbors facing hunger have food on their table this winter. I know we can count on the giving spirit of our neighbors to help.”
To participate in the food and fund drive, visit www.feedingoklahoma.org. All donations are tax deductible and will benefit Oklahomans with inconsistent access to food.
“We’re happy to once again partner with Governor Fallin to help raise funds and food for those in our state living with hunger,” said Katie Fitzgerald, chief executive officer of the Regional Food Bank. “The Feeding Oklahoma Drive helps to also raise awareness about the issue of hunger in our state. I want to offer a special thank you to the businesses and individuals who participate in this drive.”
Oklahoma is the fifth-hungriest state in the nation, where one in six Oklahomans face hunger every day. The majority of clients served by the Oklahoma food banks are chronically hungry children, seniors living on fixed incomes, and families struggling to make ends meet each month.
“This drive comes at a critical time of year before people start thinking about the needs of many of our hungry neighbors during the holidays,” said Eileen Bradshaw, executive director of the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. “We are grateful to Governor Fallin for addressing the issue of hunger in our state and mobilizing friends, businesses and organizations to provide healthy food for people struggling to put enough food on the table.”
Governor Mary Fallin’s Feeding Oklahoma Drive is presented by the Chickasaw Nation in partnership with the following presenting sponsors: APMEX.com, Devon Energy, Marathon Oil and OneOK. Additional sponsors include Bob Moore Auto Group and Dolese Bros. Co.
Established in 1980, the Regional Food Bank is the state’s largest hunger-relief organization. Last fiscal year, the nonprofit distributed 50 million pounds of food items through a network of more than 1,250 charitable feeding programs and schools in 53 central and western Oklahoma counties.
Last fiscal year, the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma distributed more than 28.1 million pounds of food and products, more than 41 percent of which was fresh produce. Its network of 720 programs and agencies includes: emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, after-school programs, senior centers, and veterans initiatives in 24 eastern Oklahoma counties.
