Practice

by Candace Pape-Macedo, Senior Manager of SNAP Programs Food insecurity isn’t always easy to spot, but we see its impacts all around us. An inability to consistently meet basic nutritional needs impacts child development1, academic achievement2, workforce performance3, military recruitment and service (national defense)4, family stability and adverse childhood experiences5, individual resilience6, dental health7, emotional8 […]

by Jessica Dietrich, Policy & Government Relations Manager Though the Oklahoma State Legislature has adjourned their regular session, there is still ongoing work for our elected officials. State Representatives and State Senators recently submitted their requests for interim studies. Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat approved 71 interim study requests and House Speaker Charles McCall will […]

by Treasure Standeford, Hunger Outreach Specialist & Devin Schroeder, Senior Manager of Programs While school is out between May and August in Oklahoma, more than 1,300 Summer Meals sites are helping to fill the nutrition gap for children and teens by providing no-cost, nutritious meals. The Summer Meals program allows participating programs to serve up to two reimbursable meals each […]

by Treasure Standeford, Hunger Outreach Specialist During the past decade, I have worked to support childhood food security in Oklahoma in different jobs and capacities. I am often asked, “What is food security?” Simply put, it is having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. I also share that economic hardship prevents […]

Hundreds of thousands of children in Oklahoma rely on school meals on a regular basis. So, when schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that dependable source of school meals disappeared almost overnight and it emphasized the need for many children across the state. Enter your local school nutrition team.

A new year does not magically end the challenges of the last, but it does give us an opportunity to look forward and set new priorities for the year ahead. We are grateful to be able to look ahead, regardless of the current challenges or new challenges that may arise, and think about what more we can do to move toward a Hunger Free Oklahoma.

Hunger Free Oklahoma was awarded a $500,000 matching grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to expand Double Up Oklahoma in farmers markets across the state and to pilot a grocery store program in rural Oklahoma. Combined with over $400,000 in support from the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) for an expansion to grocery stores

by Sam Kirzner, Double Up Oklahoma Program Manager, Hunger Free Oklahoma Double Up Oklahoma (DUO), a program that matches SNAP purchases with free produce dollar-for-dollar, is expanding to grocery stores! This farmers market season, DUO operates in 16 farmers markets and one mobile grocer. About 17.9% of Oklahoma SNAP participants currently live in an area […]

by Katie Marvel, Communications Coordinator, Hunger Free Oklahoma It comes as no surprise that the COVID-19 shutdown has affected Oklahomans economically in more ways than one. Local businesses have had to close their doors, thousands of workers have been laid off, and families, some for the first time, are struggling to pay for basic needs: […]

by Katie Maschino, Hunger Outreach Specialist, Hunger Free Oklahoma We have all heard the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” and research consistently proves that eating breakfast is better for our physical and mental health than skipping breakfast altogether. For children, the benefits of eating school breakfast are especially strong. Research […]

by Treba Shyers, Hunger Outreach Specialist, Hunger Free Oklahoma The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides grocery assistance to low-income families. Tulsa Public Schools has partnered with Hunger Free Oklahoma to pilot the SNAP in Schools project, a project that provides training and technical assistance to school staff to assist families with the SNAP application. […]

by Richard Comeau, Program Director, Hunger Free Oklahoma Once every year in Mrs. McNeeley’s first grade class in Granbury, Texas, each student arrived at school carrying one carrot, one potato, one stick of celery, one can of broth and so on. Just one. The students filed through the door and she helped each of them […]

by Chris Bernard, Executive Director Over the last three years we have met so many amazing organizations and individuals across our state that are working every day to end hunger. All too often these people would mention their desire to meet others in the field, or learn more about a subject, but did not know […]

by Doug McDurham, Director of Public Affairs, Baylor University’s Texas Hunger Initiative Published in 2017, “Ending Hunger in Oklahoma; An assessment of food insecurity and resources in Oklahoma,” included a statewide analysis of the sources of food assistance. According to the authors, my colleagues at the Texas Hunger Initiative (THI), 93% of food assistance in […]

by Eugenia Chow, Hunger Outreach/Data Specialist, Hunger Free Oklahoma For many children, school lunch may be the last healthy meal they get before returning to school the next day. The At-Risk component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) helps fill this gap by ensuring that children 18 years old and younger receive […]

by Robin Spilman, Hunger Outreach Specialist, Hunger Free Oklahoma Food insecurity is a complex and widespread problem affecting communities across the United States. Every year, millions of Americans face the uncertainty of not knowing how they’ll put food on the table for themselves and their families. In 2017, an estimated 1 in 8 Americans were […]

By: Eugenia Chow, Hunger Outreach Specialist, Hunger Free Oklahoma Nationwide, millions of college students struggle with food insecurity, an issue that impacts health and decreases the chances of graduation. While research on food insecurity amongst college students is limited, it rarely exists in a vacuum. According to a recent study by the Wisconsin HOPE Lab, […]

By Kit Hines, R.D., L.D., the Child Nutrition Director at Tulsa Public Schools Kit Hines has worked for Sodexo at Tulsa Public Schools since 1999, in current role of Child Nutrition Director since 2010. She has worked in School Nutrition field since 1996. Kit’s education includes Bachelor of Science degree in Community Medical Dietetics. She […]