Hunger Free Oklahoma Blog

One day into my fellowship with The Congressional Hunger Center, the federal government shut down. What seemed like an inconvenience that might last a few days, or at worst, a couple of weeks, dragged on throughout my entire first month in the anti-hunger, anti-poverty policy space.

by Jessica Dietrich, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy and Bailey Ashbaker, Senior Policy Analyst and Engagement Specialist Welcome to 2026! Our team is rested and ready to tackle hunger and food policy in the new year. If you’re new to Capitol Insider, we share updates on news and policy changes at the state, federal, and administrative levels that touch on […]

by Jessica Dietrich, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy and Bailey Ashbaker, Senior Policy Analyst and Engagement Specialist We wish you glad tidings in our final edition of Capitol Insider 2025! This year has been eventful, and we appreciate that you have read along through this constantly changing policy environment. We’re looking forward to […]

Dear Supporters and Partners,
This year reminded us of what it means to show up for our communities and that the path to success is not always a straight line. Together, with partners across Oklahoma, we expanded access to proven programs, responded to urgent challenges, and continued building the systems that help families thrive. We also advocated against sweeping changes to SNAP and the food safety net. While we lessened the damage, we could not stop it all.

Most Americans picture service members as resilient and self-sufficient — and they are. But resilience doesn’t erase the reality that many service members and military families struggle to put food on the table. Food insecurity in the force is not just a social or family welfare issue; it’s a readiness issue that affects health, performance, retention, and ultimately the mission.

As nonprofits or community advocates, we have all long faced tight budgets and heavy workloads, leading us to work beyond max capacity and sometimes to even push past our skill sets. This culture of urgency and make-do leaves no time to pause and reflect, leading to short-term solutions generally winning out over long-term improvements.

by Jessica Dietrich, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy and Bailey Ashbaker, Senior Policy Analyst and Engagement Specialist Welcome to November’s edition of Capitol Insider. Frankly, we’re not sure where to begin; the policy environment over this past month has been ever-changing and highly volatile. As we approach the holiday season, we hope you’re […]

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Over the past several weeks, our community has weathered challenges that tested the resilience of the people we serve, the dedication of our staff, and the strength of the entire nonprofit food response network. I want to take a moment to share where things stand, and to express our deep gratitude for your partnership.

Every summer, thousands of kids across Oklahoma lose access to the school meals they rely on. Every summer, organizations, tribes, schools, and community leaders step up to make sure families don’t face seasonal hunger. At Hunger Free Oklahoma, we’re proud to be part of this team—helping build connections, share resources, and create spaces where partners can learn from each other. Our goal is to make it easy for more partners to engage in Summer Meals opportunities.

11/13/2025 – Tulsa, OK: Hunger Free Oklahoma welcomes the end of the federal government shutdown and the restoration of critical SNAP benefits. We hope that in the next day or two, full SNAP benefits will be distributed in Oklahoma to help our friends and neighbors put food on the table, support jobs up and down the supply chain, and help local economies thrive.