school meals

In March 2025, Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO) had the pleasure of joining the Oklahoma Library Association (OLA) annual conference in Norman. This two-day event was a fantastic opportunity to engage with library staff from public, school-based, and university libraries about addressing hunger in local communities. 

HFO will hold three Summer Meals Regional Convenings in partnership with the Childhood Food Security Coalition (CFSC). This the second year of convenings designed to connect community organizations wanting to become summer meal sites or sponsors with the resources they need to be ready to serve our state’s children. Previously, Hunger Free Oklahoma hosted an annual kickoff, but the smaller convenings help bring regional organizations together to create more localized impact. There will be space for 80 anti-hunger professionals at each convening.

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.

Breakfast has long been hailed as the most important meal of the day, and for good reason. When it comes to K-12 students, ensuring they start their day with a nutritious meal is crucial for their overall well-being and academic success. That’s where Breakfast After the Bell programs come in, reimagining how schools approach morning nutrition.

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.

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.

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.

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.

YAC is an intergenerational approach to authentic youth engagement and we follow the Ladder of Youth Voice, adopted by Adam Fletcher. The lowest levels of the ladder represent programs with youth who are not able to make decisions on the projects they work on, the activities they do, and can appear to be in token roles. The highest levels of the ladder represent programs with youth who are leading projects, making decisions, practicing conflict resolution, and embodying a youth-driving atmosphere. We strive for youth/adult equity in our Youth Action Council program at Hunger Free Oklahoma.

“Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

This quote hangs in my office as a daily reminder to myself and others. A reminder that true advocacy is not just about fighting for what matters to you – it is about inspiring others to join the conversation. Justice Ginsburg’s words are especially important in reflection of Anti-Hunger Day at the Capitol.

Just eight months ago, I received an email which said the following: “Hunger and poverty exist EVERYWHERE.” The reminder came a few weeks after accepting an invitation to join the Congressional Hunger Center’s 30th class of Emerson Fellows. For those not familiar with the program, the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship trains and inspires new leaders in the movement to end hunger and poverty in the United States. Fellows gain vital first-hand experience through placements with community-based organizations across the country coupled with policy-focused organizations in Washington, D.C.

At the beginning of March, Hunger Free Oklahoma (HFO) team members joined the Oklahoma Library Association (OLA) annual conference in Tulsa. 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 in anti-hunger work through several presentations, including topics on summer meals tips, SNAP outreach, and resources for libraries to get involved in feeding programs. 

There’s no easy way to say this… school breakfast participation across Oklahoma is down. Average Daily Participation (ADP*) in school breakfast dropped by 9.8% from School Year (SY) 2021-2022 to SY 2022-2023.

The decline in school meals participation could stem from multiple factors. The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) notes, “Rising food costs, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions, coupled with the return of charging for meals, have contributed to reports of declining participation in many school districts. Families have been confused about the change from pandemic operations; stigma surrounding school meal participation and school meal debt has returned; and schools are burdened with increased administrative work.”

In the movie Barbie, as Ruth Handler walks with Barbie, she says, “We mothers stand still, so our daughters can look back to see how far they’ve come.” As I reminisce about my six-month tenure in Oklahoma as a Bill Emerson Hunger Fellow, I think about the generations of my Vietnamese ancestors that longed for a future of joy, stability, and imagination beyond the atrocities of colonization, war, and poverty.

HFO will hold three Summer Meals Regional Convenings in partnership with the Childhood Food Security Coalition (CFSC), Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma (FBEO), and Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma (RFBO). These convenings will replace the previous annual Summer Meals Kick-off format. 

I recently spoke on the value of systems change and advocacy to a group of nonprofit leaders convened by the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits. I was recognized with an innovation award, which was an acknowledgement of HFO’s staff and partner’s ability to creatively implement original approaches to fighting hunger in our state. I noted that the most important step for innovation is scaling. If it is not scalable, then an innovation is not a solution.

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.

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.

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.  

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.