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Resilient Roots: The Legacy and Future of Black Farmers in Oklahoma

Forty acres and a mule. That was the promise made by General William Sherman to former enslaved Africans during the Civil War as a form of reparations for their centuries of forced labor. This promise was soon rescinded by President Andrew Johnson. However, just as Black people had emancipated themselves from slavery, they took the fate of their free futures into their own hands. No group emphasized this liberatory spirit more than the Black people who raced to Oklahoma to claim land after the Civil War, built strong communities in this new land, and blazed a path forward for Black economic and political autonomy, including the freedom to feed themselves.

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Woman smiling at camera in outdoors setting.

SNAP is More Than Food Security: Advocating for Greater Access

There are many misconceptions and stigmas surrounding public assistance and federal nutrition programs, often perpetuated by the media and politicians, as well as by everyday people. My parents, hardworking and staunchly independent, made sacrifices to ensure our family’s basic needs were met, a privilege for which I am grateful.

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Wrapping Up the Hungry for Action Conference: A Call to Action Against Food Insecurity

As we close the doors on this year’s Hungry for Action Conference, we are filled with gratitude and inspiration from the nearly 400 passionate attendees who gathered in Tulsa to confront the pressing issue of food insecurity in our state. Over the course of this event, we explored new strategies, forged invaluable connections, and ignited a shared commitment to action.

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Six women stand ready to deliver summer meals to kids

Non-congregate Summer Meal Sites Expand to Majority of State

As the new school year starts, the excitement is in the air! Kids are meeting their teachers and reuniting with friends, while parents are busy gathering school supplies to set their children up for success. Schools, teachers, and staff are working hard to ensure a smooth school year. Amidst all this energy, we’re excited to share some thrilling updates about the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in Schools initiatives and how they can provide valuable support.

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Back-to-School Excitement!

As the new school year starts, the excitement is in the air! Kids are meeting their teachers and reuniting with friends, while parents are busy gathering school supplies to set their children up for success. Schools, teachers, and staff are working hard to ensure a smooth school year. Amidst all this energy, we’re excited to share some thrilling updates about the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in Schools initiatives and how they can provide valuable support.

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Hunger Free Oklahoma responds to Governor Stitt’s office’s statement on decision to opt out of Summer EBT for the second year in a row.

In response to recent statements made by Governor Stitt’s office regarding the 2025 Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program, it is crucial to correct several inaccuracies and highlight the benefits of this federal initiative in addressing child hunger and food insecurity.

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Ending Hunger in Oklahoma: Community Collaboration and Support

One in six Oklahomans are food insecure, making Oklahoma one of the hungriest states in the country. Food insecurity is a complex issue with no single solution.  With rising food and housing costs, it will take a sustained community effort to end food insecurity in the state.

What does a sustained community effort look like?

A sustained community effort involves ongoing collaboration, education, support, and resource sharing among various stakeholders. It requires consistent engagement from local organizations and partnerships to create a robust network of support.

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Hunger Free Oklahoma Launches LEARN Workshop to Amplify Perspectives of Those Experiencing Food Insecurity

To amplify the voices of those who experience hunger and food insecurity, Hunger Free Oklahoma is launching the Lived Experience and Resource Network (LEARN) Workshop that includes a paid eight-month program beginning September 2024 for Tulsa and surrounding area residents.

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A graph showing the prevalence of food insecurity in households with children, 2001-22.

Hunger Free Oklahoma Releases Statement on USDA’s 2022 Household Food Security in the United States Report

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.

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Hunger Free Oklahoma’s Chief Program Officer Richard Comeau is Awarded an Aspen Institute Food Leaders Fellowship

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.

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A woman in a pink blazer visits with school children while they eat their summer breakfast at school meal site.

Stacy Dean, Deputy Under Secretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, Visits Oklahoma

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.

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Two Sand Springs Cash Saver locations now doubling the value of SNAP for fruits and vegetables

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.

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Hunger Free Oklahoma Applauds Permanent Child Nutrition Investments in Omnibus

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.

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Hunger Free Oklahoma Secures $14.2 Million Grant to Increase Access to Fruits and Vegetables in Oklahoma Food Deserts

“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

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Hunger Free Oklahoma Commitment to Expand Access to Affordable Food Highlighted at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

“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

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Hunger Free Oklahoma Applauds Child Nutrition Flexibilities in Keep Kids Fed Act 

“Congress took an important step yesterday to combat childhood hunger with the announcement of an agreement to protect access to school and summer meals through the introduction of the bipartisan Keep the Kids Fed Act by Senate Committee on Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR), along with House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA 03) and Ranking Member Virginia Foxx (R NC-5).

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Oklahoma Children and Youth Now Eligible for Free Summer Meals Statewide

Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO) has hired new organizational leadership with the addition of Narine Lambert as Director of Finance and Administration and Keili McEwen as Director of Strategic Advancement.

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Hunger Free Oklahoma Adds Narine Lambert and Keili McEwen to Executive Team

Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO) has hired new organizational leadership with the addition of Narine Lambert as Director of Finance and Administration and Keili McEwen as Director of Strategic Advancement.

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OK Local

Oklahoma Lawmakers Join LOCAL Coalition on Visit to Grocery Store Utilizing “Double Up Oklahoma” Program

The Lift Oklahoma Communities, Agriculture, and Lifestyles (LOCAL) Coalition is seeking ways to expand the DUO program across the state through a stronger public/private partnership.

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Chris Testimony

Hunger Free Oklahoma Executive Director Testifies at Congressional House Committee on Rules Roundtable on Rural Hunger

Chris Bernard, Hunger Free Oklahoma’s executive director, was invited to testify at a congressional roundtable, along with four other experts from across the nation, as part of an effort to examine the issue of hunger in rural America.

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Hunger Free Oklahoma Receives Critical Investment from National Anti-Hunger Organization

As the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO) is one of 52 organizations selected to receive funding through a critical $2.5 million investment from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. The national anti-hunger organization’s partnership grants will help stem the tide in persistent food insecurity that was exacerbated by pandemic-related shutdowns.

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Hunger Free Oklahoma Secures USDA Grant to Address Reduced Access to Fruits and Vegetables Due to COVID-19

The USDA announced that Hunger Free Oklahoma was 1 of 35 recipients nationally to be awarded a Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program COVID-19 Relief and Response (GusCRR) grant of $650,000 to continuing the DUO program at farmers markets and grocery stores and allowing expansion to high-need areas across the state for the next year.

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Working together for a hunger free Oklahoma.

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