#inform-video-player-1 .inform-embed { margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; }
#inform-video-player-2 .inform-embed { margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; }
ENID, Okla. — Oklahoma is one of the states leading the nation in food insecurity, Stacy Dykstra, CEO of Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, said in a visit to Enid on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023.
“Oklahoma is one of the hungriest in the nation,” Dykstra told members of Enid Rotary Club during their meeting at Stride Bank Center. “We have over 562,000 who are food insecure, and 182,00 are children.”
That state number inludes 8,000 adults and 2,400 children in Garfield County.
Regional Food Bank covers 53 counties in central and western Oklahoma. The food bank distributes food and other products through a network of nearly 1,300 charitable feeding programs, including community-based partner agencies, schools and community organizations, she said.
These agencies range from public-access food pantries, to shelters and congregate feeding sites, and direct-service agencies serving food-insecure populations.
“We have a healthy food program at the Regional Food Bank,” Dykstra said. “We work to improve access to nutritious food.”
Oklahoma consistently ranks as one of the worst states in the nation for health, which includes cardiovascular deaths, diabetes deaths and obesity, she said.
Regional Food Bank serves children directly through four Food for Kids programs: its backpack program, Kids Café, summer feeding program and school pantry program.
“One of the more popular programs for kids is the weekend backpack program,” Dykstra said.
Through the backpack program, qualifying elementary children receive a sack full of kid-friendly, non-perishable and nutritious food on Fridays to sustain them over weekends and school holidays. Regional Food Bank delivers pre-assembled food sacks to participating schools at no cost to the school or the child. The food bags contain approximately 10 foods designed to provide nutrition and calories for chronically hungry children over the weekend.
Oklahoma also continues to rank among the top 10 states in the nation for food insecurity among seniors, Dykstra said. As a result, more and more seniors are turning to Regional Food Bank for help.
The food bank provides a supplemental commodity food program for seniors, senior home delivery, a senior pantry and a senior serving program.
Loaves & Fishes of Northwest Oklahoma is a private, hunger-relief charity affiliated with Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Located in Enid, it provides food to an average of 600 families each month.
As a client-choice food and resource center, Loves & Fishes’ clients get to decide which food items they take home each time they shop with them, Dykstra said.
The facility is different from most food pantries because it contains a large commercial freezer and refrigerator, which allows Loaves & Fishes to accept and distribute more perishable food items, like fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat.
“They have a Faith Farm because of Gail Wynne.” Dykstra said. “This 8,175-square-foot garden grows fresh produce items.”
Loaves & Fishes of NW Oklahoma, along with Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, is fueled by community financial support and volunteer power. Dykstra encouraged anyone interested in food insecurity to give funds, food, time and your voice to the issue. For more information, to go online to regionalfoodbank.org.
#inform-video-player-3 .inform-embed { margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; }