Hunger Free Oklahoma Update

As we approach the holidays, we encounter many heartbreaking and heartwarming stories of need and generosity. We are all appropriately moved by accounts of struggling families who are gifted boxes loaded with turkeys and all the trimmings. We know that everyone deserves to gather at the table with loved ones, and we express this value by charitable giving, almost a third of which happens in December. Our giving reflects our belief that everyone should have a full belly and a full heart this time of year.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its 2022 Household Food Security in the United States report this week. The USDA report shows a national increase in food insecurity rates, and state-level data reports Oklahoma’s food insecurity rate is higher than the national average.

While hunger and soaring prices continue to affect Oklahomans, SNAP offers a multi-generational intervention with a track record for improving food security.

Because schools have the data and relationships to connect families to food resources, they are uniquely positioned to reach and improve food security for many of Oklahoma’s most vulnerable families.

Richard Comeau, Chief Program Officer for Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO), was recently welcomed to Aspen, Colorado, where he began his tenure as a Food Leaders Fellow of the Aspen Institute. The 2023 Food Leaders Fellows include entrepreneurs, investors, and civic and nonprofit leaders dedicated to changing the food system to eradicate food and nutrition insecurity, support entrepreneurs and farmers, and push forward sustainable solutions.

Summer is a time for sunshine, friends, and fun, but when food is limited, it can be a huge stress for families. During the school year, breakfast and lunch are available to students, but they lose critical access to meals when schools are out. Summer meal programs can help families fill the food gap and engage the community.

As the last days of summer fade away and the whispers of autumn begin to emerge, it is that time of year again — back-to-school season. Beyond the flurry of buying new backpacks and fresh notebooks, the transition from vacation mode to school mode brings with it a renewed focus on routines and responsibilities.

This year, the most important legislation for addressing food insecurity is being considered by Congress – the Farm Bill. But what is the Farm Bill, really? A bill about farms? Yes, but at a much deeper level than most people might realize.  

Hungry for Action will be back in person for the first time since 2019. As Oklahoma’s only statewide conference focused on hunger, our goal is to bring together diverse communities from across the state to learn and, most importantly, take action!

This year, the most important legislation for addressing food insecurity is being considered by Congress – the Farm Bill. But what is the Farm Bill, really? A bill about farms? Yes, but at a much deeper level than most people might realize.  

In a significant effort to address and tackle pressing food security challenges, Stacy Dean, the highest-ranking official in USDA’s food security division, is visiting eastern Oklahoma today and tomorrow to meet with Hunger Free Oklahoma and others to discuss vital updates and initiatives concerning food security.

Nearly two decades ago, when I began working with youth, my responsibilities were to build an afterschool space for kids to have fun, play, eat a snack, and send them on their way home. Each year, I learned a little more about the youth enrolled in my program and how to not only help them, but their whole families.

“To reach more families and feed more children, building strong community partnerships is what it is all about.” -Roe Worbes, Superintendent, Altus Public Schools. 

Balanced and secure nutrition contributes to students’ success in and out of the classroom, playing a critical role in their overall health and academic achievement. “Most US children attend school for six hours a day and consume as much as half their daily calories at school.”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal nutrition program that helps low-income families. Service members that receive the Basic Housing Allowance (BAH) especially struggle to qualify for SNAP, as BAH counts as income when determining SNAP eligibility. Currently, active-duty military access to SNAP is insufficient, and it is imperative that Congress works towards excluding BAH as income for SNAP eligibility.

As every parent feeding a child knows, food prices are rising at historic rates.  
In 2022, the price of grocery store or supermarket food purchases increased by 11.4 percent, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service. Food prices are expected to grow more slowly in 2023, but still at above-historical rates. In 2023, grocery prices are predicted to increase 7.8 percent.  

by Alissa Snider, Hunger Outreach Program Specialist Earlier this month, HFO team members joined the Oklahoma Library Association (OLA) annual conference in Norman. During this two-day event, HFO staff engaged with public, school-based, and university library staff about opportunities to address hunger in their communities. HFO had the opportunity to share ways to get connected […]

by Eric Barr, Hunger Outreach Program Specialist “Tons of information and opportunities to learn and connect!” – Summer Meals Kickoff Attendee The Oklahoma Childhood Food Security Coalition’s 2023 Summer Meals Kickoff, presented by Oklahoma Complete Health and Williams, was one for the ages! Thank you to all the participants, presenters, and sponsors.   Due to the […]

by Katie Raymond, Regional Program Manager As a Hunger Free Oklahoma newsletter subscriber, you’re getting an advance look at the 2022 Oklahoma School Breakfast Report!  The report features three Oklahoma school districts that operate Breakfast After the Bell models, sharing their stories and advice for optimizing the program for different schools’ needs and preferences. The […]

We at Hunger Free Oklahoma are reflecting on 2022 with gratitude for you and so many others who continued to press on with us in the movement to end hunger across our state and our nation.

Sand Springs residents won’t have to choose between eating enough and eating healthy thanks to Double Up Oklahoma (DUO), a nutrition incentive program operated by Hunger Free Oklahoma. When customers make a purchase with their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) card at Cash Savers in Sand Springs, those purchases will now be matched, dollar for dollar, with DUO Bucks redeemable on fresh produce.

Congress is on the cusp of advancing a critical end-of-year omnibus spending package that will make two much-needed, though limited, improvements to federal child nutrition programs.

Based in Oklahoma City, Doug McDurham will spearhead strategic communications and fund development initiatives at HFO.

Over the past few months as an Emerson National Hunger Fellow, I have found that when I tell people that I work at Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO), they often ask the same question. “So, do you give people food?” Answering “no” tends to make explaining my job more complicated, but it also provides an opportunity for a conversation about a more holistic view of what anti-hunger work can—and does—look like.  

“Collectively, this support will allow us to make Double Up Oklahoma the largest nutrition incentive program in the region. More importantly, this grant allows us to make sure more communities have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and more Oklahomans have the resources they need to make healthy choices,” – Chris Bernard